SONA 2022: A homework guide for kids

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his first State of the Nation Address on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa before the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The president set the economic targets of his administration in terms of Gross Domestic Product growth, debt servicing, imports and exports, and poverty rate, among others.

On the COVID-19 situation, Marcos said the country will have no more lockdowns but the government will keep promoting vaccination and boosters for everyone’s protection. Schools will also return to face to face classes.

Amid the rising prices of goods, the agriculture sector will be supported through a one-year moratorium on land amortization and interest payments, modernization of agricultural technologies, and loans, among others.

Marcos acknowledged the challenges faced by Filipinos due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but assured that the best minds have been tapped to guide the country in these tough times.

“We will endure. Let our Filipino spirit ever remain undimmed. I know this in my mind. I know it in my heart, I know it in my very soul. The state of the nation is sound,” he said.

The president listed 19 bills that will be prioritized by his administration.

1. National Government Rightsizing Program

The president said the bill seeks to enhance the government’s capacity to do its mandate while ensuring the efficient use of resources. Under this bill, some government offices will be merged, consolidated, split, transferred, and even abolished subject to a comprehensive strategic review. Read more about it here.

2. Budget Modernization Bill

Marcos said this bill aims to institutionalize the cash-based management system to strengthen fiscal discipline in the allocation and use of budget resources. He said that it must be ensured that “every peso budgeted by the government will lead to the actual delivery of program and projects.”

3. Tax Package 3 (Valuation Reform Bill)

The bill will establish real property valuation standards and provide a database of real property transactions and declarations across the country.

4. Tax Package 4 (Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act)

The president said this will redesign the taxation of the financial sector into “simpler, fairer, more efficient, and a revenue-neutral tax system” that is regionally competitive.

5. E-Government Act

Marcos said this seeks to cover all government services and processes into an e-government masterplan.

6. Internet Transaction Act/E-Commerce Law

This will regulate e-commerce activities to ensure consumer rights and data privacy, protect intellectual property, ensure security of transactions secure and product standards and safety.

7. Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises For Economic Recovery

Through this bill, Marcos wants to provide financial assistance to MSMEs and strategically important industries in distress so that they may continue to operate and provide employment to Filipinos.

8. Medical Reserve Corps

The president wants to establish a Medical Reserve Corps composed of licensed physicians, medical students who completed four years for medical courses, graduates of medicine, registered nurses, and licensed allied health professionals.

9. National Disease Prevention Management Authority

To prepare the country for future pandemics, this bill seeks to create the Philippines’ own Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attached to the Department of Health.

10. Creation of the Virology Institute of the Philippines

To further protect the country against the spread of viral diseases, Marcos wants to establish a Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines attached to the Department of Science and Technology.

11. Department of Water Resources

Marcos also seeks to address the water supply situation in the country, especially in urban areas, by establishing the Department of Water Resources. The president said the integrated water resource management will be adopted as a strategic framework for policy making and planning.

12. Unified System of Separation, Retirement, and Pension

This will grant a monthly disability pension instead of the disability benefits under current laws for military and other uniformed personnel who retired from their duties due to disability.

13. E-Governance Act

This will promote the use of internet and other Information Communication Technology to provide opportunities for citizens.

14. National Land Use Act

This will hold land owners accountable in making the lands productive and sustainable, provide for a rational and holistic management and development of land and water resources, and strengthen local government units to manage ecological balance.

15. National Defense Act

This bill will allow for changes in the military structure of the Armed Forces of the Philippines so that they can better respond to non-conventional threats to Philippine sovereignty and national security.

16. Mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps and National Service Training Program

This will make the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program a mandatory component of senior high school programs in all public and private tertiary institutions so students will be trained in defense and disaster preparedness.

17. Enactment of an Enabling Law For the Natural Gas Industry

Marcos aims to promote natural gas as a complementary fuel as the country diversifies its the energy resources by tapping more into renewable energy and looking at nuclear energy.

18. Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act

This bill will strengthen the implementation of the provisions to address the high cost of electricity and insufficient power supply among others to ensure consumer protection.

19. Amendments to the Build-Operate-Transfer Law

Marcos said he will continue former President Rodrigo Duterte’s focus on infrastructure development and aims to address bottlenecks in Public Private-Partnerships through this bill so the country can build more farm to market roads and power plants among others.

— LA, GMA News