(SONA screenshot by Zorayda Tecson)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Residents of Region 3 or Central Luzon have expressed satisfaction with how President Rodrigo Duterte steered the nation during the past five years of his administration.
As the President delivered his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, they were convinced that the Chief Executive has done well in implementing various programs and projects that offered concrete solutions to the various challenges confronting the country.
Gregorio Baguisa, a retired government employee in Nueva Ecija, said the SONA reflected Duterte's strong conviction against illegal drugs that made the communities safe as well as graft and corruption until the remaining year of his term.
“The President’s determined efforts to curb illegal drugs never cease from the time he assumed office up to the present and until the end of his term. And I am happy to hear that,” Baguisa said.
Consolacion Samaniego, mother of a former drug user, said she is happy with the President’s unabating efforts to fight illegal drugs which helped his son change for the better.
“I am happy to hear that the President remained determined in his fight against illegal drugs. His administration’s continuous war on drugs will save more lives,” she said.
Engineer Ronald Figueroa said he was convinced that the President’s speech manifested his strong commitment to curb graft and corruption.
“To get rid corruption in the bureaucracy is a gigantic task. But the President in a way enabled to minimize it by sacking some officials and personnel from the graft-laden government agencies. With his conviction, the number of crooks in government lessened,” he said.
Meanwhile, people in the region thanked the President for the construction of various infrastructure projects amid the challenges brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Farmer Jesus Villarin, a resident of Arayat, Pampanga, said that for many years before the Duterte administration, they endured rigorous travel on a then unpaved roads.
“Gone are the days when we have no other choice but to walk through unpaved road. Now, we can go and tend to our crops in the farm with ease but what makes us even happier with the new road is the thought that our children will not experience the same predicament that we have endured when we were their age,” he said.
Diana Santiago, a call center agent in this city, said the President’s SONA is significant and meaningful as it cited how the administration implemented measures to contain coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
“The message of the President is very timely especially in this time we are confronting one of the most challenging health issues. The government’s response measures give us hope that we can withstand the devastation of the pandemic,” she said.
Melanie Pineda, a former overseas Filipino worker from Hong Kong, was convinced that the President’s SONA manifested his strong commitment to address the issues that directly affect the people, particularly the Covid-19 situation in the country.
“I am happy to hear from the President the government’s concrete solutions that could ease the effect of the health pandemic to the economy and to the Filipinos, especially to the labor sector,” Pineda said.
She also said government efforts to help OFWs who lost their jobs amid the pandemic get new opportunities, showed the President’s deep concern for workers.
Rowena Palad, who is engaged in a garment business, said Duterte’s directive to provide responsive government assistance and services to micro, small and medium enterprises is a big boost to small businesses which were adversely affected by the health crisis.
“His order directing concerned government units and agencies to intensify efforts in helping MSMEs will give most of us opportunities to recover our losses due to the pandemic,” she said. (PNA)
