Some senators not satisfied with Duterte's COVID-19 plans laid in SONA

Some minority senators said they were unsatisfied with the COVID-19 plans laid by President Rodrigo Duterte during his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday.

According to Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, the President’s speech did not even outline details on how the government would fight the COVID-19 crisis. The speech instead was divisive, Recto added.

“It scored low in the inspirational index. People were expecting a pep talk that will boost their morale, steel their resolve and will leave them to conclude, without a doubt, that indeed, we shall overcome,” he said.

Recto also cited Duterte did not give a stern warning to underperforming government officials during the pandemic.

“The President gave Congress a long laundry list to work on. He should have also given marching orders to his men, especially those who are lagging behind in delivering programs to the people,” he said.

Recto also suggested Duterte to overhauls his Cabinet and sub-Cabinet members to fulfill his promises to the country.

“It is one way of redeeming the pledges made during the fourth Monday of July. In the battle for national survival, we need the best men up the front,” he said.

Also read: Bato ‘happy’ on Duterte’s push for death penalty vs. drug offenses

Opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, meanwhile, slammed Duterte’s attack to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon during the fifth SONA.

“COVID, matinding gutom at kawalan ng trabaho ng 10 milyon nating mga kababayan ang kalaban, hindi si Drilon,” he said on Twitter.

(COVID, hunger, and 10 million unemployment of our countrymen are our enemies, not Drilon.)

“With the corruption in PhilHealth, the removal of [Health Secretary Francisco] Duque and PhilHealth executives from office should have been announced. It seems that the problem of the still-spreading COVID and the subsequent economic collapse will not be solved,” he added in a separate statement.

Senator Risa Hontiveros has also expressed her disappointment with Duterte’s speech.

“Instead of laying down a comprehensive plan for the country to combat COVID-19, the President opened his SONA by assailing his critics and ranting about his personal grudge against the media. Clearly, walang maayos na plano,” she said.

“Issues of unemployment and hunger were not directly addressed. Walang trabaho at gutom ang mga Pilipino, pero ang mga inunang isyu — death penalty, drug war, at kung anu-ano pa,” she added.