SUMMARY: STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS (SONA)
OF RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE PRESIDENT OF THE Separation, Retirement and Pension of Military and
PHILIPPINES TO THE CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
SESSION HALL OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
[Delivered at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon
City on July 26, 2021]
The President began his speech by recalling his decision to
run for the country's highest political seat back in 2016. He
said he has high hopes and vision for the Filipino people and
was committed to providing good public service. Duterte
continued that he was able to make true of his promises and
changes, "which I thought that was really at that time
doable."
"To offer free education – it’s there already – the Universal
Health Care, nandiyan na po; the fight against illegal drugs,
criminality and corruption; and the development of
infrastructure, including free irrigation and other big ticket
projects, which I thought I did now have the funds to do it,
but per chance, among others, they were done in my term,"
Duterte said.
As he nears the end of his term, Duterte went on to admit it
was not easy to make big changes and reforms only within
six years. Much was expected from him but given the
Constitution's time frame, he said he made the most out of
what he could. He explained how he had to face oligarchs
and criticisms to fight for the poor.
"That is why I cajoled, I shoved, I pushed, and I tangled with
men of wealth and influence who were oblivious to the
anguish and pleas of the weak and impoverished. And for
that, I was pilloried to no end. But I did not succumb to the
attacks. And neither did I allow criticisms, however intense,
to dampen my determination and initiatives, because my
purpose was pure and unpolluted," Duterte remarked.
According to Duterte, the Philippine economy was already
poised to "leapfrog into the company of the world’s fastest
growing economies until the COVID-19 pandemic stalled
everything."
The President went on to recognize the efforts, contributions
and sacrifices of the frontliners, public and private sectors
during the difficult time of pandemic.
Duterte thanked the health workers and other frontliners who
"selflessly gave their all in the fight against COVID-19." He
also assured the private sector that the government is
committed "to regain the commercial vibrance of the country
prior to the pandemic." Lastly, he lauded the local chief
executives and international development partners who
supported the government's COVID-19 response.
"But then, let me ask, perhaps you and to myself: What
exactly is the state of the nation today in the light of the
pandemic which has paralyzed business activities and
crippled even the strongest of the world’s economies? So
where do we go from here?" Duterte asked.
The President looked back at his past five years in office and
described it as "challenging and humbling."
He first mentioned his achievements in enhancing the
capabilities and morale of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine National Police, and other
armed services through the modernization program and
raising of their salaries. He hopes that the Congress will
support him in making reforms for the uniformed men.
"I am asking Congress to pass a Unified System for
Uniformed Personnel to maintain government fiscal flexibility
and provide adequate benefits and remuneration to our men
and women in uniform. This shall apply only to the new
entrants of the Military and [Uniformed] Services," Duterte
said.
Communism
The President also talked about how the National Task
Force to End [Local] Communist Armed Conflict or NTF-
ELCAC, made progress in their campaign against
communism despite criticisms. He also credited the police
and military for destroying so many communist fronts. "I think
they have destroyed more than 15 apparatus of the fronts of
the Communist Party of the Philippines," he recalled.
Duterte went off-script to talk about the Communist Party
and how it's leaders are corrupt and even use their own
members' money for their own gain, such as sending their
own children to school abroad.
Drug War
At one point, Duterte admitted that he was wrong in thinking
he could fight drugs within six months because of his
experiences in Davao. He said the city was able to attain a
sense of normalcy in the city because you can either coerce,
intimidate or bribe drug lords.
He said, "We are fighting a drug war that is being
participated by nine generals of the PNP. I did not know I
was fighting my own government."
Our unyielding campaign led to the surrender of millions of
drug dependents; and neutralization, capture and
prosecution of thousands of drug personalities; the
dismantling of illegal drugs and syndicates and the drug
laboratories;
Duterte stressed that he is a Filipino and he loves his
country. "I do not want my country in disarray because of
drugs. I do not want families to break up and become
dysfunctional. Yun ang masakit sa akin."
Duterte also commented on Senate President Sotto's VP bid
as he described him as "a capable man, a good man, and a
Filipino."
Mindanao
The President also highlighted the fulfillment of his promise
in Mindanao with the passage of the organic law for the
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(BARMM). The bloodshed caused by the separatist
movement in Mindanao is all about correcting the historical
injustices suffered by the Moro people since the period of
colonization. He also urged the fast tracking of the
rehabilitation of Marawi City.
Infrastructure
The President also talked about the tax reforms and how he
pursued infrastructure projects that made a huge difference
in the economy.
"Five years ago, the first thing I made sure is to increase our
infrastructure spending to an average 5% of the country's
GDP. This is significantly higher than each and past four
administrations," he said.
Priority bills
According to the President, it was through his passage of the
Comprehensive Tax Reform Program that enabled the In summary, Duterte has a total of 12 priority bills he hopes
government to fund critical infrastructure projects. He to pass before his term ends.
mentioned the improvement of MRT-3, the LRT-2 East
Extension project, Stage 3 of the Metro Manila Skyway, Poro
Point Freeport Zone in La Union, Sorsogon City Coastal  The passing of a unified system of separation,
Road, among others. retirement, and pension for uniformed personnel

Foreign relations  Free legal assistance for police and soldiers

As Duterte thanked the Association of SouthEast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and the rest of the world for showing their
support to the Philippines, he also asserted our country's
sovereign rights.
"But gone are the days when the Philippines decides on the
shadows of the great powers. We will assert what is rightfully
ours," he said.
The President recalled how the government sent back
container vans of garbage back to Canada, and called out
the Middle East to dismantle their Kafala system because
"Filipinos are not slaves."
Duterte again stressed that he cannot afford to go to war
against China. The missile of China would be there in about
five or 10 minutes. It would be a massacre if I go and fight a
war now. We are not yet a competent and able enemy of the
other side. He also mentioned China's help in helping the
Philippines in our Covid-19 vaccination program. China
donated about 1,500,000 of vaccines.
COVID-19 response
Duterte urged local governments to hasten their rollout and
strengthen their inoculation program. He also allayed the
fears of the public on the Delta variant but warned that he
will be strict to keep everything in order. He asks everyone to
pray for salvation.
We launched the most extensive Social Protection Program
in our country’s history, with the passage of Bayanihan 1 and
Bayanihan 2.
We now have more than 260 accredited laboratories
nationwide which is capable of conducting at least 50,000
tests daily. All regions now can conduct their own COVID-19
tests.
 Foreign Investments Act
 Public Service Act
 Retail and Trade Liberalization Act
 Creation of a department for overseas Filipinos
 E-governance act
 Creation of the Philippine Center for Disease
Control and Prevention
 Creation of the Virology Institute of the Philippines
 Creation of a department of disaster resilience
 Law mandating evacuation centers in provinces,
cities, and municipalities mandatory
 Bureau of Fire Protection modernization 
Duterte's final SONA lasted for 2 hours and 46 minutes, the
longest SONA since 1986 and breaking the record of
Noynoy Aquino's 2015 SONA, which lasted for 2 hours and
15 minutes. 
[We need] to make every public servant responsive to the
needs of the people and enjoin every Filipino to assert their
right to demand malasakit from their leaders until everyone
lives with dignity.
We need to fight to subdue narrow vested interests and
ensure that our gains will [redound] to the benefit of the
greater number of Filipinos, especially those who have the
least in life.
He ended his address with, "Together, let us rise as a
nation."

We established over 9,000 temporary treatment and

monitoring facilities across the country, with a total bed
capacity of more than 140,000.

Establishing new medical facilities in Mandaluyong City,

Bacolod and Davao Occidental; increasing bed capacities of
existing health facilities in Quezon City, Ilocos Sur, La Union,
and Palawan; [and] upgrading health facilities in that area to
include Leyte.