Road map to more resilient, adaptable nation
Many have voiced their expectations ahead of today’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA). Be it addressing inflation, educational challenges, ongoing pandemic or other pressing issues besetting our society, Filipinos from all walks of life have expressed interest in what the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has in store for the country.
The vivid attention of our people on an event of this national significance gives me hope for a continued strong public participation in charting the course of our history as a nation. Nothing speaks of a vibrant democracy quite like an active citizenry that makes their voices heard and known.
As a senator and, more importantly, as a fellow Filipino, I have also waited with anticipation for the plans and goals of President Marcos Jr. to make our country become more resilient and adaptable. Taking cue from President Marcos Jr.’s inaugural speech, I expect him to outline his legislative agenda with special focus on pandemic response and full and inclusive recovery. Like the President, I wish to set out a path to recovery where no Filipino is left behind. To achieve this, I am hoping that the new administration will continue to strengthen our health care system, ensure sufficient food supply, guarantee a safer community that can better withstand disasters, and establish more infrastructure that will likewise lead to more job opportunities for Filipinos. These aspirations are reflected in the priority bills I filed before the opening of the first regular session of the 19th Congress today.
In a bid to achieve a truly inclusive recovery, my proposed measures are aimed at bringing public service closer to our people, especially to the hopeless and the helpless.
In fact, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, I introduced measures providing free annual medical check-up for all Filipinos and Comprehensive Dialysis Benefit Package for all PhilHealth members. I also filed a bill creating an Emergency Medical Services System and a measure amending the Insurance Code to allow stricter supervision over health maintenance organizations.
I likewise filed a measure providing benefits and incentives for our barangay health workers and reintroduced my Advanced Nursing Education bill to provide better prospects for our Filipino nurses, who the President has earlier hailed as “the best in the world.”
Because it is a continuing concern, I also expect the Covid-19 response to be highlighted in the President’s SoNA. Consistent with his avowed goal of “not being caught unprepared, under-equipped, and understaffed to fight the next pandemic,” I reintroduced measures establishing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines to ensure that the government can be one step ahead in protecting Filipinos from health threats.
As the country is prone to natural disasters, I also expect the President to focus on our disaster response. For this, I have refiled a measure establishing the Department of Disaster Resilience so we can have an empowered, highly specialized department with clear unity of command that will be primarily responsible in ensuring safe, adaptive and disaster-resilient communities. I likewise reintroduced a bill providing for the establishment of an evacuation center in every municipality, city and province; a measure creating a National Housing Development, Production and Financing Program; and the Rental Housing Subsidy bill establishing a housing and social protection program for Filipinos.
I hope the President also maps out his plan for food security in the country. Hunger and poverty remain the reality for many Filipinos, so I also filed my Rural Employment Assistance
Bill and a measure institutionalizing the One Town, One Product to promote economic security in the countryside.
To provide better service and ensure more secure communities, I have also introduced a measure providing a Magna Carta for Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel, a bill on e-governance, a measure seeking to enact the Magna Carta for Barangays, and a bill providing free legal assistance for Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police enlisted personnel.
Of course, it is also our hope that the Marcos administration would continue the “Build, Build, Build” program of the previous administration and intensify the campaign against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, I continue to deliver assistance to distressed communities nationwide. Last week, we provided aid to fire victims, including 67 families in Valenzuela
City; 57 in Cebu City;
39 in Tondo, and 18 in Quiapo, Manila; 35 in Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City; and six more in Barangays Handumanan and Felisa, Bacolod City. Some 810 victims of the typhoon “Odette” in San Isidro,
Bohol received similar assistance.
We also brought much needed support to struggling residents, including 500 in Valenzuela City; and 333 in Quezon City. My staff delivered assistance to 923 beneficiaries in Diadi, Quezon, Bagabag, Bayombong and Dupax del Sur in the province of Nueva Vizcaya.
I likewise personally returned to Davao City to provide aid to 1,450 of my fellow Davaoeños from Barangays Ubalde, R. Castillo and Lapu-Lapu.
We have busier days ahead. Together and united as one hopeful Filipino nation, we will build on the successes that are already happening in our country, continue to make the lives of our people more comfortable as envisioned by former President Rodrigo Duterte, and help the new administration ensure that no Filipino will be left behind in our road toward fuller recovery.
“We have busier days ahead. Together and united as one hopeful Filipino nation, we will build on the successes that are already happening in our country.
“In a bid to achieve a truly inclusive recovery, my proposed measures are aimed at bringing public service closer to our people, especially to the hopeless and the helpless.