Despite the lengthy address of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, lawmakers and citizens alike noted that the much-awaited pandemic recovery roadmap was not expounded comprehensively in his report.
In his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that lasted for about an hour and a half, Duterte had failed to detail what presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said was a “roadmap” to recovery from the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).
He mentioned the Bayanihan to Recover As One (or Bayanihan 2) and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) bills which were already pending in the Congress and is expected to be passed any time soon.
“I hope that we can get some or the same treatment of clarity, purpose and the fastness to support the passage of the Bayanihan [to Recover as One Act], which will supplement funds for recovery and response against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Duterte said.
“We must facilitate the country’s economic recovery. I call on Congress to fast-track the passage of proposed measures such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises or CREATE Act,” he added.
As of July 27, there are already 82,040 COVID-19 cases in the country, 53,649 of them being active cases. Businesses have continued to report losses, thousands to millions laid off, and Filipinos are still waiting for the president’s concrete plan to uplift the nation from the damage this pandemic has brought.
