Crizaldo N. Mempin Jr.

Basic Economics with Taxation and Agrarian Reform

BS Chemistry IV-I Maam Leonora Signey

REACTION PAPER FOR THE FIRST STATE OF THE NATION

ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

Spontaneous, unconventional, straightforward, informative, inspiring and yes,

entertaining. Thats how I could describe the speech of President Rodrigo Duterte on his
State of the Nation Address (SONA) he delivered last Monday. It wasnt really boring
due to his ad-lib-filled speech that showed that he knew how to connect with the
audience, how to make people laugh and speak in the language of the people. True to his
words, his first SONA has strong message for urgent change for the benefits of the
Philippines and Filipinos.
We will not stop until the last drug lord and the last financier are put
behind bars. Indeed, he has the courage to fight for what he believes in and his
campaign against crime and drugs are exceptionally relentless. I admire his determination
to put drug addiction to an end by reiterating that we must not do drugs. According to
him, military camps would be used for drug rehabilitation and the rule of law shall
prevail at all times. This might encourage and challenge our police officers and National
Police Commission to do their jobs and arrest these drug lords and users.
Addressing global warming shall also be our top priority but upon a fair
and equitable equation. Its impressive how the president was interested in both
environmental issues and industrialization. This includes his campaign against illegal
logging and illegal mining, and expanding operations on human assistance and disaster
response resulting from climate change. This also explained why the Paris treaty of
climate change is detrimental to the Philippines considering that we have not reached the
age of industrialization.
If we cannot, as yet, love one another, then in Gods name, let us not hate
each other too much. Here, I can say that Duterte was destined to rule a country that
was already in hopelessness. I believe that hes real serious in striving for permanent and
lasting peace as he declared unilateral ceasefire for CCP, NPA and NDF that could foster
the resumption of peace talks and therefore, end the decades of fighting and rebellion as it
gets bloodier each day.
I am for the comfort and the welfare of the Filipinos. This was where he is
taking us 6 years from today. I praise his ideas of providing solutions to unfold the
problems that the Philippines and Filipinos are facing nowadays. This includes solving
the issues on traffic congestion by developing the Pasig river ferry system, increasing the
operating hours of Light Rail Transit (LRT), providing railway projects in Metro Manila
and facilitating the purchase of train tickets that would be available at malls. Also, his
goal to lengthen the validity of the drivers license and visa passports from the current 5
years to 10 years would not only support the welfare of Filipinos in this country but also
our OFWs worldwide. Another is his proposal of new runway in Sangley Point in Cavite
and maximizing Clark airport to help decongest NAIA terminal.
I assure you, this will be a clean government. One thing is for sure, Duterte
was dedicated in a clean leadership, good governance and true service to people. He had
even said to equip people with hotline that would be used for complaints about
corruption.
As compared to previous SONAs that blamed the previous administrations before
them, I have not found any negative dialogue from President Dutertes speech. Instead he
has said that, We cannot move forward if we allow the past to pull us back and that
finger-pointing is not the way of honorable men. Yet after all, what I believe is that our
president cant do all these alone, but all Filipino must be a part of change.