JULY 24, 2013

NR # 3174C

Solons give varying reactions to SONA

House members gave varying reactions to the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Aquino. Rep. Rose Marie Baby Arenas (4th District, Pangasinan) said the SONA captured all aspects of what the President wanted to tell the people. The police matters, the economy . Its fantastic! The President was forceful; at the same time he delivered his SONA gently. Its really his style. Mukhang inspired ang Presidente when he mentioned the Philippines is the most romantic place to visit, parang romance is in the air, said Arenas. Rep. Maria Leonor Leni Robredo (3rd District, Camarines Sur) said all the successes mentioned by the President were made possible because of the Presidents Tuwid na Daan which put emphasis on the accountability of officials and transparency of the government. I am happy that the President said for the next three years, the governments emphasis is in ensuring that inclusive growth will be felt by all of us. The policy direction is clear with his emphasis on good governance, accountability and transparency, said Robredo. Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd District, Pangasinan) described the SONA as outstanding because it clearly outlined what must be done to pursue progress without let up. I am proud to be a part of this administration, proud to be a Filipino, and a representative of my district. I am very proud of our hero policemen and soldiers who were part of the President's SONA. It means so much for the whole PNP/AFP to sustain their honor and pride and gain the respect of the Filipino people, said Bataoil. Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan (Party-list, Gabriela) said the SONA showed only one side of the coin. A coin has two sides. You have all those figures but they are misleading figures. For example, the figures about the MWSS increase in income at the expense of the consumers. Tayo ung nagpa-increase ng income. Another example is the police accomplishments, but thats their job, said Ilagan. On the Conditional Cash Transfer recipients on video, she asked what about the rest of the people complaining they are also poor and those who have become poorer, the unemployed and cannot eat three times a day. The SONA also made mention of Manilas infrastructure development but made no mention of Mindanao and what the government should do about its power problem. Likewise, the agriculture and women sectors were also never mentioned according to her. The speech is more like a wish list. Dapat ganito, ganyan but you have already four years so bakit dapat dapat pa. Ang dapat at this time mayroon na tayong kongretong nagawa halfway na sa term nya, said Ilagan. Rep. Samuel Pagdilao (Party-list, ACT-CIS) said the SONA was very comprehensive, and prescribed doable initiatives on the part of lawmakers.

It was very comprehensive. The President touched on a lot of things that were actually put into concrete terms. Example is our economic growth as assessed by foreign entities, he presented concrete examples in many areas, which are indicators of our rising economy like more housing projects, additional CCT recipients, more jobs, more focus on education these are all indicators of a rising economy, said Pagdilao. In terms of peace and order, which is the sector being represented by the solon, Pagdilao said the President cited doable initiatives for lawmakers. In fact I am proposing that the budget for the retirement benefits for our cops and soldiers should be made separate from the whole national budget. Because as we see it, the annual budget of the PNP and AFP are huge, but actually the big chunk of these goes to the pension of retired officers and personnel of both institutions. Of course we need to give pensions to these retirees who gave their time and effort to keep our country safe and stable for everybody. We also need to find some measure where they can really be given incentives as prizes for the services they have rendered, said Pagdilao. He said Congress should also support the operational requirements and housing needs of members of the PNP and AFP. Rep. Tobias Tiangco (Lone District, Navotas) said he wanted to hear what specific measures the President would like amended or changed. He was also interested to know how the government plans to hike the take home pay of ordinary people. While there has been an economic growth, Tiangco said, the positive effects of which was felt more by the rich, as the people have to shoulder more taxes instead of being given higher income. Rep. Sherwin Tugna (Party-List, CIBAC) said the SONA spelled out long-term progress for the country with the facts presented by the President. It also showed that there are still people in the government service who serve with integrity like the cops and soldiers who are staking their lives for the people despite their meager monthly pay of P15,000 to P18,000. The SONA comprehensively addressed the issues facing the 92 million Filipinos such as education, poverty, unemployment through various means among them through the TESDA and the CCT, said Tugna. Rep. Gustavo Tambunting (2nd District, Paranaaque) said the SONA showed the peoples continued confidence in the people. It greatly showed that President Aquino means business. Rep Mary Anne Pernes (Lone District, Siquijor) said the SONA was "very specific. Maliwanag ang inihayag ng Pangulo na mga nagawa at gusto pa niyang gawin. Nananatili ring matatag ang kanyang political resolve na isulong ang mga reporma. Most importantly to make hard decisions that may be unpopular but will benefit the majority in the future. Tulad ng contrbution sa SSS, pasahe sa MRT, pagresolba sa trapiko, pagsusuri sa civil service code, pagtaguyod sa mga proyektong matagal na nabinbin dahil sa ibat ibang interes. The SONA makes you feel good, said Pernes. Rep. Antonio Tinio (Party-list, ACT) proposed the replacement of the CCT with more jobs. Parang nag-aaksaya tayo ng pagkalaki-laking resources sa CCT. Trabaho ang kailangan ng tao...pangmatagalang trabaho, bakit handout,, bakit pangtawid, bakit hindi employment?, said Tinio. (30) jsc / rbb