Marcos optimistic, resolute in his 2nd SONA—senators
Published Jul 24, 2023 11:58 am
Optimistic and resolute was how Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada described President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, I am pleased to learn about the emphasis placed on further improving employment opportunities for our kababayans and creating a better working environment for our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Estrada said.
Hearing Marcos outline plans to create inclusive social services that cater to the diverse needs of Filipinos and prioritize healthcare, education, and social welfare shows his deep understanding of the challenges faced by our vulnerable communities and marginalized individuals, Estrada also said. “Hindi man nabanggit ang mga issue na may kinalaman sa West Philippine Sea, malinaw na nakatuon ang kasalukuyang administrasyon sa pakikibahagi sa dialogo at peaceful resolution sa mga haharapin nating hamon sa seguridad ng bansa (Although issues related to the West Philippine Sea were not mentioned, the current administration is clearly committed to engaging in dialogue and peaceful resolution to the challenges we face in the country's security),” Estrada said. “Such efforts will not only enhance regional cooperation but also provide hope for a more harmonious and secure future for our citizens and neighboring countries,” he added. Estrada also said he is pleased to hear that some of the legislative agendas of the President align with the ones he is currently pursuing in the Senate, such as matters involving internet connectivity, digitalized government services, and many others. “Recently, I filed Senate Bill 2342, a measure instituting a nursing scholarship and return service program for deserving Filipino nursing students. The condition is that they will render a three-year mandatory return service and integration into the public health service system, in addition to their mandatory internship program through the Department of Health (DOH),” he said. “This initiative will complement the administration's plans and programs in addressing the shortage of nurses caused by migration, which hinders the delivery of an effective healthcare system in the country,” he stressed. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, however, said that while he likes the President’s speech as it was comprehensive, he cannot give a grade of satisfaction to it. “That’s hard to answer. Because a lot of people are still in dire poverty,” Cayetano said. But Cayetano said he can sense the urgency in the President’s speech. “He does not only know the problem, but he also had this sense of urgency. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, for his part, said he can sense that the government cannow has a sense of direction. “In the next few weeks we will be able to pass one two measures he was talking about yong LGU(local government unit) income classificatoin pati ung (including the) taxpayers bill of rights and obligation,” he said. “I think those two can be passed by Congress right away,” he said. “Before we start tackling (the proposed 2024 national) budget, we will be able to pass four to five of the important measures that the President is asking for Congress to pass,” Villanueva added. Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito also said that in his second SONA, President Marcos proved that his message of unity was never a mere abstraction or campaign slogan. “Presented with the Marcos administration’s recent accomplishments in various areas of development, we were given a glimpse of how far our unity as a government and as a people has taken us. In his first year in office, President Marcos took off from the successes of the Build, Build, Build Program and expanded our national infrastructure development program,” Ejercito said. “I am particularly proud of his vision of connecting our major economic centers through roads, bridges, airports, seaports, and mass transportation. Once completed, these projects will form the backbone of our economic growth and generate jobs and opportunities for thousands of Filipinos,” he stressed.
“As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment, I am pleased to learn about the emphasis placed on further improving employment opportunities for our kababayans and creating a better working environment for our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” Estrada said.
Hearing Marcos outline plans to create inclusive social services that cater to the diverse needs of Filipinos and prioritize healthcare, education, and social welfare shows his deep understanding of the challenges faced by our vulnerable communities and marginalized individuals, Estrada also said. “Hindi man nabanggit ang mga issue na may kinalaman sa West Philippine Sea, malinaw na nakatuon ang kasalukuyang administrasyon sa pakikibahagi sa dialogo at peaceful resolution sa mga haharapin nating hamon sa seguridad ng bansa (Although issues related to the West Philippine Sea were not mentioned, the current administration is clearly committed to engaging in dialogue and peaceful resolution to the challenges we face in the country's security),” Estrada said. “Such efforts will not only enhance regional cooperation but also provide hope for a more harmonious and secure future for our citizens and neighboring countries,” he added. Estrada also said he is pleased to hear that some of the legislative agendas of the President align with the ones he is currently pursuing in the Senate, such as matters involving internet connectivity, digitalized government services, and many others. “Recently, I filed Senate Bill 2342, a measure instituting a nursing scholarship and return service program for deserving Filipino nursing students. The condition is that they will render a three-year mandatory return service and integration into the public health service system, in addition to their mandatory internship program through the Department of Health (DOH),” he said. “This initiative will complement the administration's plans and programs in addressing the shortage of nurses caused by migration, which hinders the delivery of an effective healthcare system in the country,” he stressed. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, however, said that while he likes the President’s speech as it was comprehensive, he cannot give a grade of satisfaction to it. “That’s hard to answer. Because a lot of people are still in dire poverty,” Cayetano said. But Cayetano said he can sense the urgency in the President’s speech. “He does not only know the problem, but he also had this sense of urgency. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, for his part, said he can sense that the government cannow has a sense of direction. “In the next few weeks we will be able to pass one two measures he was talking about yong LGU(local government unit) income classificatoin pati ung (including the) taxpayers bill of rights and obligation,” he said. “I think those two can be passed by Congress right away,” he said. “Before we start tackling (the proposed 2024 national) budget, we will be able to pass four to five of the important measures that the President is asking for Congress to pass,” Villanueva added. Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito also said that in his second SONA, President Marcos proved that his message of unity was never a mere abstraction or campaign slogan. “Presented with the Marcos administration’s recent accomplishments in various areas of development, we were given a glimpse of how far our unity as a government and as a people has taken us. In his first year in office, President Marcos took off from the successes of the Build, Build, Build Program and expanded our national infrastructure development program,” Ejercito said. “I am particularly proud of his vision of connecting our major economic centers through roads, bridges, airports, seaports, and mass transportation. Once completed, these projects will form the backbone of our economic growth and generate jobs and opportunities for thousands of Filipinos,” he stressed.