Press Release
July 22, 2019

THE PEOPLE DON'T NEED A LECTURE, WE DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY
*Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on President Duterte's 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA)

Three years of dancing around the truth is far too long. Three years of foul language, insulting women and inciting and glorifying violence is three years too many. Empty rhetoric, fancy camera work and a symphony orchestra will not do. It's time for President Rodrigo Duterte to give the people the State of the Nation Address (SONA) that we truly deserve.

The President must show us that he has an actual plan to secure our country's sovereignty and territorial integrity instead of sheepishly kowtowing to China's dictates. He must not turn his SONA into China's educational channel.

He must explain to us his foreign policy and how he plans to address the international community's growing condemnation of our country's human rights situation.

President Duterte must also present to us his blueprint for our economy and political institutions in his last three years in office. He must give us real vision, not authoritarian aspirations concealed in charter change and/or a sham federalism in an effort to lift term limits and further consolidate political power.

The SONA is not the President's personal lecture to the Filipino people. It is President Duterte's report to the people. The people don't need a lecture, we demand truth and accountability.

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