2020 State of the Nation Address (Philippines)

Last updated

Fifth State of the Nation Address
of President Rodrigo Duterte
2020 SONA Pres. Duterte.jpg
The session hall had limited physical attendance due to social distancing measures observed in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
DateJuly 27, 2020 (2020-07-27)
Duration1 hour and 41 minutes
VenueSession Hall, Batasang Pambansa Complex
Location Quezon City, Philippines
Participants Rodrigo Duterte
Tito Sotto
Alan Peter Cayetano
Language English & Filipino (Taglish)
Previous 2019 State of the Nation Address
Next 2021 State of the Nation Address

The 2020 State of the Nation Address was the fifth State of the Nation Address delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte. [1]

Contents

Preparations

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, there was uncertainty on whether President Rodrigo Duterte would be physically present in the Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex to deliver his annual State of the Nation Address. Among the options considered as mentioned by Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was Duterte delivering his speech via video conference from Malacañang. [2]

On July 20, 2020, Roque confirmed that Duterte "will be physically present in Batasan". The House of Representatives has also issued an advisory allowing only the government-owned Radio TV Malacañang (RTVM) to set up broadcast equipment for the said event and will be fed for use by other media entities. The event will also be live streamed through the YouTube and Facebook channels of RTVM. [3]

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is expected to deploy about 1,000 traffic management personnel to help manage the traffic within the venue of the said event. [4] Film director Joyce Bernal, who was commissioned to be involved in the coverage of the speech, has promised a simpler "very Filipino" SONA but with a "different flavor". [5]

Seating and guests

Attendees of the event at Batasang Pambansa were mandated to be swab tested for COVID-19 which included Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, his wife Lani Cayetano, Deputy Speakers Raneo Abu and Dan Fernandez, and Minority Floor Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. [6] Only a maximum of 50 people were allowed to be physically present in the venue, said Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. In the event that many of the guests would test positive from COVID-19, Andanar said that the event will be moved to the Rizal Hall of Malacañang. [7]

Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel, who was among the expected attendees, test positive [8] and so was six personnel from Malacañang who were part of the technical team of the event. [9]

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri opted not to attend the event. [10]

Address content and delivery

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives Complex in Quezon City on July 27, 2020. 2020 SONA Pres. Duterte speaking.jpg
President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives Complex in Quezon City on July 27, 2020.

In his speech which lasted for 1 hour and 41 minutes, [11] Duterte addressed the current pandemic and its effects to the country. He urged Congress to pass 21 priority bills [12] among which includes the passage of COVID-19-related bills such as the "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act", "Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (Create) Act" and "Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (Fist) Act"; the lifting of continuing professional development (CPD) units requirement on professionals and the re-imposition of death penalty in the country. Also among the proposed measures were the creation of new government agencies such as a Department of Overseas Filipinos to focus on Filipino migrant workers, a Department of Disaster Resilience to spearhead in disaster response, a National Disease Prevention and Management Authority which will equip the country from future disease outbreaks and a Boracay Island Development Authority that will oversee the post-rehabilitation aspect of Boracay Island. [13]

Duterte began his speech with a tirade against ABS-CBN, the Lopezes who own the company and Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon. He accused Drilon of defending the Lopezes as "oligarchs" and for linking the anti-dynasty system to his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and son Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte. Drilon previously challenged Duterte to prioritize an anti-dynasty law if the latter wanted to dismantle oligarchy in the country [14] however, he clarified after the speech that he "never mentioned the children of the President." [15]

On the South China Sea dispute, Duterte lamented that he "cannot do anything" about it [16] and said that the country could not afford going into war with China. [17] He also rejected the idea of the return of foreign bases in Subic Bay fearing that it may result to "extinction of the Filipino race." [18]

Telecommunications companies Globe Telecom and Smart Communications were also not spared by Duterte after he threatened them to improve their services or face expropriation [19] [20] as the country prepares for the March 2021 commercial roll out of Dito Telecommunity which aims to become the third major telecommunications provider in the Philippines. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by the President of the Philippines

The State of the Nation Address is an annual address by the president of the Philippines to a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. Mandated by the 1987 Constitution, the speech is delivered every fourth Monday of July at the Plenary Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koko Pimentel</span> Minority Floor Leader of the Senate of the Philippines since 2022

Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III, commonly known as Koko Pimentel, is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as the Senate Minority Leader since 2022. He has been a Senator since 2011 and previously served as the Senate President of the Philippines from 2016 to 2018. He is also the national chairman of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban). As the eldest son and third child of the former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., he is the first child of a previous Senate president to hold the office. He was sworn in on August 12, 2011, and was proclaimed as the 12th winning senator in the 2007 election. Pimentel was one of the high-ranking public officials who drew flak for breaching the COVID-19 quarantine protocols.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Andanar</span>

Jose Ruperto Martin Marfori Andanar is a Filipino television news personality, former news anchor, radio commentator, podcaster, voice-over artist and a columnist. He served as the former secretary of the Presidential Communications Office of the Philippines under the Duterte administration and is now CGTN anchor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte</span>

The inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte as the 16th president of the Philippines took place at around noon (PHT) on Thursday, June 30, 2016 at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañang Palace in Manila. The oath of office was administered by the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Veronica Duterte, Duterte's daughter with Honeylet Avanceña, held the Bible of the president's late mother Soledad. Veronica was joined by her three siblings, namely Sara, Paolo and Sebastian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte</span> Philippine presidential administration from 2016 to 2022

Rodrigo Duterte's six-year tenure as the 16th President of the Philippines began on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. He was the first president from Mindanao, the first president to have worked in all three branches of government, and the oldest to be elected. He won the election amid growing frustration with post-EDSA governance that favored elites over ordinary Filipinos. His tenure ended on June 30, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvador Panelo</span> Filipino lawyer and government official

Salvador "Sal" San Buenaventura Panelo is a Filipino lawyer who served as President Rodrigo Duterte's Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (2016–2021) and Presidential Spokesperson (2018–2020). He was also the legal adviser during Duterte's 2016 presidential campaign. As a private lawyer, he has handled cases involving politicians and other controversial personalities. He is a former director of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

The 2016 State of the Nation Address was the first State of the Nation Address delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests against Rodrigo Duterte</span> Political protests against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

Protests against Former President Rodrigo Duterte escalated on November 18, 2016, following Duterte's support of the burial of the late president Ferdinand Marcos. These series of protests are mostly conducted by progressive groups and other opposing figures mainly due to the ongoing war on drugs, the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, and employment issues such as contractual terms being applied by companies and inflation which occurred due to the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. Other causes of the protests include the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and the shutdown and franchise denial of ABS-CBN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Philippine presidential election</span> 20th presidential election in the Philippines

The 2022 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on May 9, 2022, as part of the 2022 general election. This was the 17th direct presidential election and 16th vice presidential election in the Philippines since 1935, and the sixth sextennial presidential and vice presidential election since 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

The 2019 State of the Nation Address was the fourth State of the Nation Address delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines</span> COVID-19 viral pandemic in the Philippines

The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. As of November 30, 2023, there have been 4,121,325 reported cases, and 66,746 reported deaths, the fifth highest in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first case in the Philippines was identified on January 30, 2020, and involved a 38-year-old Chinese woman who was confined at San Lazaro Hospital in Metro Manila. On February 1, 2020, a posthumous test result from a 44-year-old Chinese man turned out positive for the virus, making the Philippines the first country outside China to record a confirmed death from the disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine government response to the COVID-19 pandemic</span> Actions by the Philippine government on COVID-19 pandemic

Both the national government and local governments have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines with various declarations of emergency, closure of schools and public meeting places, lockdowns, and other restrictions intended to slow the spread of the virus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Philippine Senate election</span> 34th Philippine senatorial election

The 2022 Philippine Senate election was the 34th election of members to the Senate of the Philippines for a six-year term. It was held on May 9, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte

The 2021 State of the Nation Address was the sixth and final State of the Nation Address delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests during the State of the Nation Addresses of Rodrigo Duterte</span>

The State of the Nation Addresses of Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th president of the Philippines, were met with several protests.

This is a list of candidates in the 2022 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inauguration of Bongbong Marcos</span> Presidential inauguration of Bongbong Marcos as the 17th president of the Philippines

The inauguration of Bongbong Marcos as the 17th president of the Philippines took place around noon (PHT) on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at the National Museum of Fine Arts. The chief justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath of office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 State of the Nation Address (Philippines)</span> Speech by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos

The 2022 State of the Nation Address was the first State of the Nation Address that was delivered by President Bongbong Marcos on July 25, 2022, at the Batasang Pambansa Complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharmally scandal</span>

Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. became involved in a scandal over allegations of overpriced medical supplies it supplied to the government for the latter's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. The Blue Ribbon Committee of the Senate of the Philippines launched an investigation into the matter and uncovered other issues, such as the supplied face shields' alleged substandard quality and how the company was able to secure a billions of pesos worth contract despite being founded only in 2019 with a small paid-up capital.

References

  1. ↑ Parrocha, Azer (July 27, 2020). "Duterte's fifth SONA will last for 80 minutes". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  2. ↑ Terrazola, Vanne Elaine (July 9, 2020). "Duterte SONA at Batasan?". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Duterte to be at Batasan on July 27 for SONA, but event is off-limits to media". CNN Philippines . July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  4. ↑ "MMDA to deploy 1K personnel to manage traffic on Duterte's SONA". Philippine Daily Inquirer . July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Director Joyce Bernal teases 'different flavor' for 2020 SONA". Rappler . July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Officials who will attend SONA undergo COVID-19 swab test". July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Sona cut down to basics, mostly on Covid". Business Mirror . July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Lawmaker tests positive for coronavirus ahead of Duterte SONA". ABS-CBN News . July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Esguerra, Darryl John (July 27, 2020). "'Still Plan A': Duterte to push through with plan to deliver SONA at Batasan". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  10. ↑ Ramos, Christia Marie (July 27, 2020). "Sotto, Revilla tests negative for COVID-19; Zubiri opts to monitor SONA 2020 at home". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  11. ↑ Lopez, Melissa Luz (July 27, 2020). "SONA 2020: Duterte offers detours on road to pandemic recovery". CNN Philippines . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  12. ↑ Cepeda, Mara (July 27, 2020). "LIST: 21 priority bills of Duterte in SONA 2020". rappler.com. Rappler . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  13. ↑ "LIST: Stimulus bills, new departments top Duterte's Congress wish list". CNN Philippines . July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Drilon dares Duterte to push anti-dynasty law to dismantle oligarchy". July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  15. ↑ Mercado, Neil Arwin (July 28, 2020). "Drilon says he never mentioned Duterte's children on issue of oligarchy". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  16. ↑ Malasig, Jeline (July 27, 2020). "Lopezes, death penalty, China: Filipinos note top three topics tackled by Duterte in 5th SONA". Interaksyon. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ Ramos, Christia Marie (July 28, 2020). "Can't afford to go to war with China over sea row, Duterte admits". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  18. ↑ "#SONA2020: No US Bases, No War With China; Duterte Not A 'Lame Duck'". One News . July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  19. ↑ Valente, Catherine (July 28, 2020). "Duterte trains guns on telcos" . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  20. ↑ Venzon, Cliff (July 28, 2020). "Duterte rocks Philippine telcos with threat to seize assets". Nikkei Asian Review . Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Philippines' third telco player says "on track" to meet March 2021 commercial rollout". Xinhua News Agency . July 28, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.