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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Manila civic leader backs PBBM's SONA: 'Hindi lang puro pangako'

Manila civic leader backs PBBM's SONA: 'Hindi lang puro pangako'

Published Jul 29, 2025 09:50 pm
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia
A civic leader from the capital has voiced strong support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling it a no-nonsense message that directly confronted long-standing problems, particularly corruption in infrastructure and flood control projects affecting Metro Manila.
Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, Chairman Emeritus of multiple pro-reform organizations, said the President’s speech marked a shift from political sugarcoating to accountability.
Goitia currently chairs four civic movements based in the capital and beyond: Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement.
“Ngayon lang ulit tayo nagkaroon ng Pangulo na hindi nagkukunwari na okay ang lahat. Humaharap siya sa problema, at nililinis niya ito (For the first time in a while, we have a President who isn’t pretending everything’s okay. He’s facing the problems and cleaning them up),” Goitia said.
He praised Marcos for directly exposing corruption cartels embedded in flood mitigation programs, an issue that hits close to home for many Metro Manila residents.
“Napakatagal nang ginagawang raket ang flood control... Pero ngayon, mismong Pangulo na ang nagsabi, seryoso siya sa paglilinis (Flood control has long been turned into a racket... But now the President himself said it—he’s serious about cleaning it up),” he added.
Goitia also lauded ongoing infrastructure improvements under the "Build Better More" program, citing visible developments like new roads, terminals, and rail projects across the capital region.
“Hindi ito drawing o PowerPoint lang. Nakikita mo. Nahahawakan mo (This isn’t just a drawing or a PowerPoint. You can see it. You can touch it),” he said.
He also backed the President’s foreign policy stance, calling it a necessary balance of diplomacy and defense readiness amid regional tensions.
“Diskarte ito, hindi pagiging sunod-sunuran (This is strategy, not submission),” Goitia noted.
Goitia emphasized that while others are gearing up for the 2025 elections, Marcos is working on reforms that will shape the country for decades.

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