Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Saturday described President Duterte's upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) as "crucial" to the country's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We don’t know how long this pandemic will continue, and so we are all
looking to the President for clear, solid guidance. What’s next? How do we
recover? That’s what everyone will be wanting to hear from him," Zubiri said in a statement sent to the Manila Bulletin.
Zubiri also wants to hear about the president's plan concerning the funding and procurement of a vaccine against the virus, noting members of the legislative department would be prepared to "make the necessary budgetary insertions" either in the proposed Bayanihan 2 bill, or the 2021 national budget for the same if needed.
"We can’t afford to get left behind," he stressed. " we’re just waiting for the green light from the executive."
Zubiri also expressed hope that economic stimulus measures, such as the Bayanihan 2 and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bills, would be mentioned and prioritized in the President's address.
The Senate is set to approve on third and final reading next week its proposed "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act," which sustains the government's COVID-19 response and provides for a P140-billion standby fund for recovery programs focused on hard-hit sectors.
"The only problem is, between the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Department of Finance, we are having trouble coming to an agreement on the amount for the stimulus package. Perhaps the President can lead us to a resolution," Zubiri said.
Besides health and economic measures, Zubiri also wants to hear about the president's plan concerning education.
"How are we going to implement online distance learning when internet connectivity, and even access to online learning devices, is not a guarantee in remote areas? I hope these questions are answered in the SONA," he said.
Duterte will be delivering his SONA at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City, before a limited number of senators and congressmen in observance of health and safety protocols.