By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Robin Padilla lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for delivering a significant portion of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Filipino, saying the move made the President’s message easier for ordinary Filipinos to understand.
In a statement posted on social media after the President’s address, Padilla thanked Marcos for giving greater prominence to the national language, saying it allowed people from all walks of life to better comprehend the administration’s plans for the remaining years of its term.
The senator remarked that the use of Filipino enabled “hampaslupa,” or ordinary citizens, to clearly understand the government’s priorities and proposed programs.
Padilla was among the senators absent during the President’s address at the Batasang Pambansa. He explained that he had a prior family commitment but was still able to follow the proceedings by listening to the SONA on the radio.
The senator likewise missed last year’s SONA, when he opted to boycott the event in protest over the detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
In his fifth SONA, President Marcos outlined the administration’s priorities on key national issues, including the investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects, initiatives to bring down electricity and fuel prices, food security measures, proposed tax reforms, and the country’s continued defense of its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Padilla’s reaction added to the growing response from lawmakers following the President’s annual report, with many weighing in on the policy directions and legislative agenda laid out for the remainder of the Marcos administration.
ia/xf
