Sara lauds Marcos’ first SONA as a ‘glimpse of what we should expect from gov’t’

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday lauded the first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., noting that he offered Filipinos a "glimpse of what should expect from the government."

Duterte said Marcos’ SONA also showed what Filipinos can do to help the administration make the country a “strong and stable country in Asia.”

“The first SONA of Marcos offers the Filipinos a glimpse of what we should expect from the government, what we should prepare for, and what we should do to help the administration not only achieve its development agenda but also support its initiatives for the Philippines to become strong and a stable country in Asia, able to respond to the needs of the Filipinos even in the face of anxieties brought by disputes and disagreements happening between some countries that could hurt our economy,” she said in a statement.

The Vice President also commended the direction the administration was taking by continuing her father's, former president Rodrigo Duterte's, plans and fully supporting them.

As Education Secretary, the Vice President also committed herself to achieving the plans and programs of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Duterte said the DepEd would collaborate with the national and local governments, private sector, and international partners to increase investments in education.

The OVP, for its part, would roll out social services programs and economic opportunities for women and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community.

“It’s encouraging that President Marcos sees the importance of OVP programs that seek to address the needs of marginalized individuals, groups, sectors, and communities,” Duterte said.

“The days coming will be daunting for the administration of President Marcos and the Filipinos. But the nation, the Filipino people, is behind the President and his government. There is nothing that we cannot surmount if we continue to work together, united in our desire to see that the Philippines become a stronger nation,” she added.

On his first SONA, Marcos laid down his economic goals, looking to end his term with a single-digit poverty rate and reducing the government's debt to below 60% of the economy.

He also listed 19 bills that his administration would prioritize. — DVM, GMA News