Cabinet to discuss legacy in final pre-SONA of Duterte admin

MANILA – In preparation for the 6th and final State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo R. Duterte on July 26, the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat (OCS) and Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), together with the Cabinet Clusters, launched Pamana ng Pagbabago: The 2021 Pre-SONA Forums on Wednesday.

With the theme “Pamana ng Pagbabago,” this year’s Pre-SONA is organized to assure the public that the government has made strides in, and remains committed to, realizing the President’s promise of positive change.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said one of the objectives of the pre-SONA is “to assist the President in reporting to the people the accomplishments of his administration over the past five years as well as the scale-up plans for the remainder of his term.”

The event is also aimed at informing the public on the priority and legacy projects of the Duterte administration as well as the Covid-19 response and strategies.

The series will kick off on July 14 with the forum ‘Pamanang Malasakit,’ led by the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC).

Led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista, the cluster will discuss efforts on building opportunities in education, health, and social protection.

The Participatory Governance Cluster (PGC), led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and Department of Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado, will spearhead the second forum on July 16 themed ‘Pamanang Pagkakaisa,’ where they will present initiatives on engaging the public in national processes.

The third forum, ‘Pamanang Kaligtasan at Kapayapaan’ will be on July 21 featuring the Security, Justice, and Peace Cluster (SJPC). The Cluster Chair, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, together with the Cluster member agencies, will provide updates on efforts in ensuring justice and maintaining peace and order.

The program will conclude on July 22 with ‘Pamanang Katatagan’ focusing on the Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation, and Disaster Risk Reduction Cluster (CCAM-DRRC). The Cluster Chair, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu will tackle programs in pursuit of environment resiliency and sustainability.

The Economic Development and Infrastructure Clusters held their forum last April 26.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the events will be in a hybrid format in observance of minimum public health standards. Members of government agencies, media, and the general public can join the event virtually.

Moderated by Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, the Pre-SONA Forum will be simulcasted at 9 a.m. on People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTV), Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM) and streamed live on PCOO Facebook pages and shared across various government pages. (PR)