President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24, stressing anew his resolve to eliminate illegal drugs, crime and corruption in the country.
In his two-hour speech, President Duterte also took the chance to push for his legislative agenda and discuss other pressing issues in the country before the lawmakers, judiciary, diplomats, Cabinet and other government officials present at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
“Today, a multitude of problems confront us. No sooner is one problem solved [when] another surges forth in its place. But we will not be disheartened; we will not be cowed; we will not be overwhelmed,” the President said.
“The Filipino is no stranger or neophyte to situations like the one we face today. We can, and we will, overcome as we did countless times in the past, [but] only if we work together towards a common goal,” he added.
Relentless war on drugs will continue
The Chief Executive said his administration’s fight against illegal drugs, which is one of his campaign pledges, will continue no matter how long it takes and despite persistent criticisms, tagging illicit drugs as “the root cause of so much evil and suffering in the country.”
“The fight will be unremitting as it will be unrelenting. Despite international and local pressures, the fight will not stop until those who deal in it understand that they have to cease, they have to stop because the alternatives are either jail or hell,” he said followed by a resounding applause from the crowd.
Instead of attacking him, Duterte asked his critics to help him by spending their influence, moral authority and ascendancy to educate the people on the negative effects of illegal drugs.
“The government, equipped with legal authority, and you, with the moral ascendancy over the sector you represent, can do so much, and hopefully eradicate this social scourge that plagues us no end,” he stressed.
Peace and order in Mindanao
With regard to peace and security, the President vowed to continue pursuing peace with different rebel groups particulalry in Mindanao.
“But believe me, it will not be for want of trying. And I will persist in our goal of attaining peace [up] to the last day of this administration and maybe even beyond that although in a different capacity,” he said.
He also mentioned the issue on peace talks with communist insurgents following a series of attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) against government forces.
He also explained that there is rebellion in Mindanao which prompted him to declare martial law.
“I declared Martial Law in Mindanao because I believed that that was the fastest way to quell the rebellion at the least cost of lives and properties. At the same time, the government would be adequately equipped with the constitutional tool not only to prevent the escape of rebels who can easily mingle and pretend to be civilian evacuees only to re-group in another place to fight another day, but also to prevent them from spreading their gospel of hate and violence in the rest of Mindanao,” he said.
Appreciating the sacrifices of soldiers fighting the rebellion in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi City, the President reiterated his continous support for them including assistance to their families.
The President said his administration is also working doubly hard towards achieving a stronger and more credible national defense system for the country to strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a deterrence against terrorists, lawless elements, and other threats.
Addressing climate change and impact of mining
The President also talked about the changing climate as well as its impact on food security.
He said he called on legislators to immediately pass the National Land Use Act or the NALUA to ensure the rational and sustainable use of land and other physical resources.
Noting the country’s natural wealth, he called on industrialists, investors and commercial barons to put up factories and manufacturing establishments in the Philippines to process raw materials into finished products.
“At this point in my administration, if possible, we shall put a stop to the extraction and exportation of our mineral resources to foreign nations for processing abroad and importing them back to the Philippines in the form of consumer goods at prices twice or thrice the value of the original raw materials foreign corporations pay for them,” he said.
He likewise urged the nation to protect the environment saying that destructive forms will not be allowed including mining activities.
The President warned to increase tax on mining to compensate for the suffering of affected mining communities.
“I am sternly warning all mining operations and contractors to refrain from the unbridled and irresponsible destruction of our watersheds, forests, and aquatic resources,” he said.
“I am holding all mining companies and its officials responsible for the full and quick clean-up, restoration [and] rehabilitation of all areas damaged by mining activities, and the extension of all necessary support to the communities that have suffered mining’s disastrous effects on their health, livelihood, and environment, among others,” he added.
He also urged mining companies to pay the correct taxes noting that failure to do so “will be your undoing and eventual ruin.”
As a result of damaging earthquakes that hit in Leyte, Surigao, the President called on both Houses of Congress to expeditiously craft a law establishing a new authority or department that will create and implement an enhanced disaster resiliency and quick disaster response.
Reimposition of death penalty
To completely eradicate illegal drugs, criminality and corruption, the President asked Congress to act on all pending legislations to reimpose the death penalty on heinous crimes — especially on the trafficking of illegal drugs.
“We have to act decisively on this contentious issue. Capital punishment is not only about deterrence. It is also about retribution. Make no mistake about that,” he said.
Independent foreign policy
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive mentioned the Philippines efforts to maintain and promote good relations with other countries.
“We have embarked on various initiatives to advance our national interest in the global community. We pursue good relations with all nations anchored on an independent — on an independent foreign policy — and the basic tenets of sovereign equality, mutual respect and non-interference,” he said.
He particularly mentioned the country’s “warmer relations” with China, which was achieved through bilateral dialogues and other mechanisms, “leading to easing of tensions between the two countries and improved negotiating environment on the West Philippine Sea.”
