Palace debunks claims Duterte’s SONA failed to lay down COVID-19 recovery plan

July 28, 2020

Malacañang debunked on Tuesday the claim of some quarters that President Rodrigo Duterte failed to present the recovery plan amid coronavirus disease pandemic during his State of the Nation Address.

In a virtual press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it was expected that the opposition would not see good things from what the President had said on Monday during the joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa.

"But as you all know, there was a series of pre-SONA briefings where our economic managers gave the details of the steps we're going to make in order for us to recover from this crisis brought by COVID-19," he said.

He said the government will use the public funds to stimulate the economy and it will continue the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.

Roque said the Duterte administration will also continue to provide assistance, and loan and loan guarantees for businesses.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros claimed that Duterte did not provide clear perspective on how the government would respond to the health and economic crisis.

Some other opposition lawmakers said that Duterte's plan appeared to have favored more the big businesses and corporations and his SONA was just full of rants and excuses. Celerina Monte/DMS