“Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” – Aristotle
Last week’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was a long laundry list of pending issues, objectives, frustrations, and unfinished business which took one hour 45 minutes for the President to summarize with less than two years to accomplish.
The sedate address was spiced by the President’s penchant for sideswiping at the oligarchs and harsh criticism of Sen. Franklin Drilon.
Senator Frank Drilon, a good labor lawyer, was not a founding partner of ACRRA but became a prominent and influential alumnus of ACRRA.
The SONA itself was the roadmap and comprehensive if implemented and realized in two years.
Otherwise, the next president can just adopt PDU30’s 5th SONA as the 1st SONA of the incoming president.
President Duterte has achieved much and is just as concerned and serious on the continuing spread of the coronavirus as thousands of OFWs are repatriated back.
First, the death penalty should be restored before President Digong leaves office or the issue will be dead in the water permanently.
However, the death penalty by lethal injection should be limited to grievous heinous crimes, such as, drug lords, rape of minors, first-degree murder, and treason.
As for Plunder, as Sen. Bong Go proposes, its ambiguity can only lead to more interpretation and corruption.
As for the self-righteous and sanctimonious do-gooders, many countries still retain the death penalty while fully cognizant of human rights.
Undoubtedly, the death penalty will be a deterrent and disincentive to would be criminals.
Second, as far as the South China Sea impasse is concerned, Winston Churchill once said “to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.”
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte need not be so submissive or subservient to China while diplomatic options and international opinion remain.
Third, it is not too late to enact a Comprehensive Land Use Act; re-examine the effectiveness of the Agrarian Reform Law, abolish the MMDA and introduce a limited mass transit system while phasing out the jeepney as an anachronism.
From where we are perched, it is doubted whether President Rodrigo Roa Duterte can accomplish his pro people objectives and legislative agenda with a procrastinating and foot dragging legislature.
Alternatively, PDU30 can hasten the process of using his authoritarian muscle power which will be unpopular and politically risky.
It is a little late in the day to roll out the roadmap but it is never too late.
You be the judge.