MARIELLE ANTONIO
LAST week, many of us tuned in to President Duterte’s 2017 State of the Nation Address (SONA) and heard the administration’s position on various issues. As expected, President Duterte spoke feverishly about the war on drugs, and the declaration of martial law in Mindanao in connection with the Marawi rebellion. He called for greater support for the country’s military and police forces, and promised to approve capability upgrades for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He urged the Supreme Court to lift its temporary ban on contraceptive implants, the Senate to pass his initial tax reforms, and Congress to bring back the death penalty for heinous crimes.