By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
All eyes are expected to focus on the President come July 22. For those disinterested and giving the Chief Executive the cold shoulder, think again.
I’m not saying we should all agree with Mr. Marcos. Still, these are very trying times for our nation, and affording him our ears when he gives the State of the Nation Address (SONA) is more expressive of our concern for the country as Filipinos than representative of our varying political beliefs.
We and our families deserve to know the state of our country’s affairs from the man designated to make decisions for our country: New taxes? Tariff rate adjustments? War?
The upcoming SONA is more for us than it is for the man who speaks for our government. If we truly care for our country, its direction, and our future, we must allot our time to listen to the President.
The ‘designated survivor’
I expect the same from Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio. After all, she helped in getting him elected. And until last month, she was still very much part of the Cabinet that runs this country.
Her political gravitation away from Mr. Bongbong Marcos’s circle of trust does not exempt her from tuning in to the SONA – she’s still VP, right?
But what’s troubling is that in a GMA Regional TV interview in Davao City last Thursday, she said that not only is she skipping attendance of the SONA; but she is also “appointing herself as the designated survivor.”
For those unfamiliar with the term “designated survivor,” it refers to an official of high standing in government who is purposely and safely kept away from a general assembly of high-ranking officials led by the President so that in case of a catastrophic occurrence — like a bombing or an earthquake — that kills or renders the top state leaders incapacitated, the designated survivor will assume leadership.
Isn’t that disturbing that Inday Sara is loosely or even jokingly projecting such a scenario by declaring herself as the designated survivor? Why, does she know of a catastrophic occurrence that should render Mr. Marcos and other officials incapacitated or dead?
Perhaps, she should clarify her statement for the benefit of the public.
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