Palace defends Duterte's SONA amid calls for COVID-19 recovery plan

Malacañang asserted that President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) included plans for COVID-19 recovery, refuting claims of its absence.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stated that critics likely did not pay close attention to the proposed measures, citing the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act and the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act as stimulus initiatives.

However, some senators and representatives expressed disappointment, claiming Duterte failed to provide a clear COVID-19 recovery roadmap and did not mention targets for mass testing, contact tracing, and cash assistance.

Vice Presidential spokesman Barry Gutierrez questioned the SONA's focus, noting the inclusion of pre-lockdown projections and a renewed emphasis on drugs, implying a disconnect from the pandemic's immediate recovery needs.

Senator Risa Hontiveros and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate also lamented that Duterte used his SONA to criticize opponents instead of focusing on pandemic recovery.

Duterte responded to criticism by stating that his administration could not provide a specific roadmap for recovery during the SONA because their priority was the national budget and the "medicine" needed to combat the virus.