SONA HIGHLIGHTS

[ ] WAR ON DRUGS
- The war on drugs is far from over.
- The war on drugs will not be side-lined. Instead, it will be as relentless and chilling if you will,
as on the day it began.
[ ] HUMAN RIGHTS
- Your concern is human rights, mine is human lives.
- Human rights to me means giving Filipinos, esp those at society's fringes, a decent and
dignified future through the social and physical infrastructures necessary to better their lives.
[ ] CORRUPTION
- Corruption must stop.
- Reports of red-tape
- Lousy, corrupt bureaucracy
[ ] MINDANAO
- Mindanao was dubbed as the land of promise, and Mindanaoans say ‘end derision’
- Before my term ends, I want to deliver that promise
- Within 48 hours, I will sign the Bangsamoro Organic Law
[ ] INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- On international relations, we shall continue to assert an independent foreign policy
- A trilateral relations with Indonesia and Malaysia
- Our friendship with China does not mean that we are waiving our right to the West Philippine
Sea
[ ] MIGRANT WORKERS
- We admire our Filipino migrant workers for their selflessness and courage in enduring the
hardships of living away from home to provide for their families.
- I am a worker of government. And it is my vow to make sure that your (OFWs) well being
remains our foremost foreign policy concern
[ ] CONTRACTUALIZATION
- This year, I signed EO 51, which sought to protect the worker's right to security of tenure. I
understand that this does not satisfy all sectors. I share their sentiment. Much as I would like to
do the impossible, that power is not vested upon me by the Constitution.
- I ask the Congress to pass a law that will end contractualization once and for all
- Our campaign against endo has resulted in the regularization of 300,000 workers.
[ ] BORACAY ISLAND REHABILITATION
- Boracay Island has sadly become a representation of government's negligence, including mine.
I cannot allow this decay to continue. Decisive action has long been overdue.
- We intend to restore environmental integrity of Boracay
- Environmental protection and ensuring the health of our people cannot be overemphasized. Our
actions in Boracay marked the new beginning of a new national effort
[ ] TELECOMMUNICATIONS
- We shall lower interconnection rates between industry players
- The only condition is that the chosen entity must provide the best possible services at
reasonable prices.
[ ] DISASTER MANAGEMENT
- We in the Cabinet have approved for immediate endorsement to Congress the passage of a law
creating the Department of Disaster Management.
[ ] ENVIRONMENT
- I urge Congress to urgently pass the National Land Use Act to put in place national land use
policy that will address our our competing land requirement for food, housing, business and
environmental conservation
- To the mining industry-- do not destroy the env't or compromise our resources. Repair what
you have mismanaged.
- This time, you will have restrictive policies, the prohibition of open pit mining is one.
[ ] TRAIN / TAX
- I applaud Congress for timely passage of Tax Reform Law (TRAIN)
- You have made funds available to build better roads, bridges and improved health and
education.
- We need TRAIN for sustainable growth that leaves no Filipino behind. It is already helping
poor families and senior citizens cope with rising prices.
- No amount of subsidy can help the poor if businesses will take advantage of their situation to
make more money. I ask businesses to cooperate with us in charging a fair price.
- I am committed to a comprehensive tax reform and I ask Congress to continue the job
- TRAIN 2 will lower corporate taxes for small businesses
- By the end of July 2018, all packages of my tax reform would have been submitted to
Congress; aside from TRAIN, rice tariffication, too
[ ] HEALTH
- We're currently institutionalizing the unified implementation of No Balance Billing policy.
- Much needs to be done to improve our health care system, which remains highly fragmented.
- While investments in health have increased over the past several years, several policy and
operational bottlenecks have constrained universal healthcare in the PH.
- I urge speedy passage of universal health care bill.
[ ] FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
- I therefore consider it a distinct honor and privilege to have received earlier from the ConCom
the federal Consti that will truly embody the ideal aspirations of all Filipino people.
- I have no illusions of occupying this office one day longer than what the Constitution under
which I was elected permits
- I am confident Filipinos will stand behind us in push for charter change
[ ] ENDING REMARK
- I will not bore you with a list of projects completed. Daghang Salamat.

SONA 2018: A summary.

1. Your concern is human rights, mine is human lives.
2. Stolen wealth does not make the thief respectable.
3. You worry about the present. I worry about the future.
4. Justice will catch up with those who steal public funds.
5. I value friendship, but it has its limits. This is a lonely place I am in. Do not make it lonelier
by forcing me to end by giving me reasons to end it.
6. Duterte says government improving delivery of services, orders agencies to faithfully
implement ease of doing business law.
7. Duterte delivers ad libs, slams
"Lousy, corrupt bureaucracy".
8. Duterte says he has fired several officials tagged in corruption.
9. I value friendship but it has its limits.
10. Duterte vows to sign Bangsamoro Organic Law within 48 hours after its ratification.
11. On Bangsamoro Organic Law, Duterte: Give me 48 hours to sign the law. Babasahin ko pa
bago ko pirmahan, baka may siningit kayo diyan.
12. War is not an option.
13. We will continue to assert independent foreign policy.
14. We will continue to reach out with other nations.
15. Duterte says Phl to seek stronger bonds with fellow ASEAN countries.
16. He ask Congress to pass legislation to end contractualization once and for all.
17. I urge Congress to pass bill establishing coconut farmers' trust fund.
18. Read my lips. I understand this does not satisfy all sectors. I share their sentiment. I truly do.
Much as I would like to do the impossible.
19. My admin remains firm in its resolve to ensure the PH's telecom services are reliable,
inexpensive, and secure.
20. We shall lower interconnection rates between industry players.
21. SAP Bong Go instrumental in establishment of Malasakit Centers nationwide.
22. I could not allow decay of Boracay to continue and we intend to restore environmental
integrity of Boracay.
23. I urge local govt units to actively enforce laws and not wait for us to swoop down on you
areas just to do your duties and work.
24. I urge Senate to urgently pass the National Land Use Act to put in place national land use
policy that will address our our competing land requirement for food, housing, business and
environmental conservation.
25. We must learn from Typhoon Yolanda and other disasters.
26. We in Cabinet have approved for immediate endorsement to Congress for passage of law
creating Department of Disaster Management.
27. To the mining industry-- do not destroy the env't or compromise our resources. Repair what
you have mismanaged.
28. I fervently appeal to Congress to pass this bill in utmost urgency. Our people's safety
requirement cannot wait.
29. Duterte says to 'defend' Philippine interests in South China Sea.
30. Some have incorrectly blamed our efforts toward fairer tax system for all the price increases.
We need TRAIN Law for sustainable growth that leaves no Filipino behind.
31. I ask businesses to cooperate with us in stabilizing rice prices.

32. I direct all intel agencies to unmask those behind economic sabotage.
33. We need to lower price of rice.
34. I am committed to a comprehensive tax reform and I ask Congress to continue the job.
35. I promised to give Filipinos a comfortable life even if it means fighting interests.
36. I hope to sign TRAIN Law package 2 before the year ends.
37. By the end of July 2018, all packages of my tax reform would have been submitted to
Congress; aside from TRAIN, rice tariffication, too.
38. One of the most impt thrusts of this govt is to cover all Filipinos against financial health risk.
39. We're currently institutionalizing the unified implementation of No Balance Billing policy.
40. Much needs to be done to improve health care system, which remains highly fragmented.
41. While investments in health have increased over the past several years, several policy and
operational bottlenecks have constrained universal healthcare in the Ph.
42. I urge speedy passage of universal health care bill.
43. I have no illusions of occupying this office one day longer that what Consti permits.
44. I thank consultative committee on charter change for crafting draft federal consti.
45. I am confident Filipinos will stand behind us in push for charter change.
46. I will not bore you with a list of projects completed.
47. If I complete my term, God willing, I would have served gov't for 40 years.