LAWMAKERS from both chambers of the Congress laud President Rodrigo Duterte for his "clear" and "concise" speech during his third State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 23.
"Precise and concise. A lot better than a two-hour speech na kung anu-ano ang laman," said Senate President Vicente Sotto III.
Senator Grace Poe said the same. "Yung pinakamaganda dito ay maikli yung talumpati ni Pangulo. Talagang direct to the point."
Poe also praised the state's leader for not attacking any person in his speech, unlike in his past two Sonas.
Senator Sonny Angara said Duterte's speech is comprehensive. "Maganda naman siya, comprehensive naman siya."
"Masaya naman ako na maikli lang," said Senator Ralph Recto.
Recto however said that Duterte has failed to address the inflation and the other issues on economy.
For opposition lawmaker Tom Villarin, Duterte's speech lack depth, political will and passion for what is the truth.
"It was a ho-hum speech with nothing new but surprisingly, evaded attacking the opposition. His reading improved but it lacks depth and passion for what is the truth," he said.
"Again his promises to end contractualization, give the coco levy trust fund to farmers, and other basic sector issues are good soundbytes but lacks political will. He totally skirted the state of our economy, inflation, unemployment and rising debts," he added.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said Duterte has failed to address in his third Sona the change he has promised the people during the presidential campaign.
"President Duterte did not address the reforms which the people want, but instead concentrated on the so-called reforms he himself wants to pursue and implement," he said.
"The people do not clamor for a shift to federalism because the overwhelming majority of them are unaware of federalism, do not care to know about the federal system or do not understand what federalism is all about but going federal is high in the President’s agenda," said Lagman.
He said that while the people want the President to reform his unpatriotic response to China’s incursion on and militarization in the West Philippine Sea, the President insists on his unpopular stance deferring to China’s expansionism in the West Philippine Sea.
He added: "The people want economic reforms to arrest poverty. Yet the President insists on the full implementation of the Train Law which has triggered the rise of inflation to 6.1% on food and non-alcoholic beverages, thus exacerbating food poverty, further reducing the people’s purchasing power, and decreasing the value of real wages."
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said Duterte has failed to speak about the administration's accomplishments in the past two years.
Alejano also slammed Duterte's pronouncements on Train law.
"Ang Train Law na ayon sa kanya ay nagpabuti umano ng buhay ng pamilyang Pilipino. Ito ay tahasang kasinungalingan sa gitna ng nagtataasang presyo ng mga bilihin at pagtaas ng bilang ng mga pamilyang nagsasabing sila ay naghihirap," he said.
He continued: "Ang mga sinabing ayuda ay hindi pa rin natatanggap ng mga apektadong pamilya. Sa sektor naman ng paggawa, ang EO na kanyang ibinida ay nagsilbing patsada lamang upang masabing may ginawa siya laban sa kontraktwalisasyon, ngunit sa huli ay pinasa pa rin sa Kongreso ang pasan."
On Duterte's statement that he gives priority to human life that human rights, he said:
"Duterte is actually giving premium to neither. Libu-libo na ang namatay sa ilalim ng war on drugs habang sinasabi niyang wala pa ring naging pagbabago sa problema."
"Ibig sabihin, sa nakalipas na dalawang taon ng karahasan ay walang naging dulot ang kampanya kontra-droga ni Duterte."
Alejano also slammed the President for boasting about his "independent foreign policy" when it is clear that his diplomatic stance favors China.
"Clearly, even China's blatant stifling of Philippine rights in the West Philippine Sea is not enough for the Duterte administration to stop its subservience with imperialist China."
"Kasinungalingan ang sinabi ni Duterte na malayang nakakapangisda ang mga mangingisdang Pilipino sa West Philippine Sea. Ang katotohanan ay patuloy ang pang-aabuso ng China sa ating mga mangingisda," he added. (SunStar Philippines)