Lawmakers in the Philippines have urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to use this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA) to advance key legislative priorities. Among these priorities are political reforms, healthcare, senior citizens' welfare, and tighter restrictions on online gambling.
Several lawmakers have outlined measures they want the President to endorse during his address before Congress. Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith T. Flores has called for the President's support for several key bills, including the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act.
Flores emphasized that Congress is close to fulfilling the Constitution's mandate against political dynasties. He also sought backing for House Bill No. 9390, which aims to establish a College of Medicine at Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City to address the shortage of physicians in underserved areas.
Flores has also renewed his call for the removal of gambling links from electronic wallets and digital payment applications through House Bill No. 721. He believes that the SONA should not only report on government accomplishments, but also identify difficult problems that require presidential leadership and political will.
Manila Rep. Rolando M. Valeriano has urged the President to prioritize a nationwide ban on online gambling. He also called for the modernization of the country's forensic investigation system and the enactment of the House of Representatives-approved KALINGA bill.
Valeriano believes that the government should focus on making families safer, ensuring justice is faster and more reliable, and being prepared to help during crises. He has also called for the creation of an independent forensic science authority and a national forensic bureau to boost crime laboratories and evidence collection.
Valeriano has also pushed for stricter restrictions on online gambling, arguing that these services have made gambling more accessible to minors and financially vulnerable people.
Party-list Rep. Rodolfo M. Ordanes has urged the President to support the proposed Universal Social Pension Act, which seeks to provide all Filipino senior citizens with a monthly pension. He has also called for clearer and more uniform implementation of the government's Zero-Balance Billing program.
Ordanes believes that healthcare policies are meaningful only when senior citizens can experience their benefits. He emphasized that the rules must be clear, assistance must reach the patient, and hospitals must be held accountable for violations.
