PR/via Daniel Manalastas
Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar discusses President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s plans for the second half of his term ahead of the 4th SONA, during an interview at ABS-CBN News Channel’s (ANC) Beyond Politics with Lynda Jumilla on July 16, 2019.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is all set for his upcoming 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2019, and is expected to spell out measures that he will push for in the remaining three years of his term, according to Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
In his interview on ANC’s Beyond Politics, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Chief said that President Duterte will likely reiterate his call for the urgent passage of the National Land Use Act, which aims for rational and sustainable use of land and physical resources.
“He’s frustrated with how the process would take so long before land can be converted, land can be distributed, and he even mentioned that if he– if it cannot be cut, meaning the entire process cannot be cut into half, then no president can ever solve the land problems in our country,” Andanar lamented.
Andanar added that President Duterte will also mention other priority bills such as the reinstatement of the death penalty as proposed by Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and the second package of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, or the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) bill.
This is along with the continued push in the administration’s massive “Build, Build, Build” program.
Furthermore, Andanar stated that the President is keen on doing some changes in the constitution to liberalize foreign ownership of some industries in the Philippines “in order to invite more investors in our country.”
Aside from still highlighting the big accomplishments under the Economic and Development and Infrastructure Clusters, Andanar said that the also expects the President to discuss achievements of the PCOO in transparency initiatives, like the Freedom of Information.
“We also expect our Presidential Task Force on Media Security and other policies of other departments. The Malasakit Center, hopefully, that would be discussed also on the 22nd of July,” he added.
“But again, it depends on the President,” Andanar noted.