Herrera has five items on her SONA ‘wish list’; here they are

Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera has five specific things that she wants to hear from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The first, according to Herrera, is what economic roadmap the Philippines will follow in the next six years.

Second, is how the country will address the inflation problem. “Paano tutugunan ang patuloy na pag taas ng presyo ng langis, pamasahe at mga pangunahing bilhin (How will the continuous rise in the prices of fuel, fare, and basic goods be addressed)?” she asked.

Third, she said, is how the education of Filipino children will be brought back on track. “Paano maibabalik sa normal ang edukasyon ng ating mga anak makaraan ng dalawang taon na distance at blended learning at sa ilang kaso ay ang pagtigil ng pag-aral nang tuluyan (How will education of our children be brought back to normal after two years of blended learning and in some cases, total stoppage from going to school)?”

Possible new sources of government revenue is the fourth item that Herrera wants to hear from Marcos in his maiden SONA.

“Saan kukuha ng pondo ang gobyerno para pondohan ang inaasahang malaking gastusin para makabangon ang ating mamamayan at ang ekonomiya mula sa Covid-19 pandemic (Where will the government get funds to fuel the citizens and the economy’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic)? asked the former House deputy speaker.

The fifth and final item for Herrera is how to improve Internet services in the country.

“We have a different type of world, post-pandemic. Ang mga transaksyon, kalakal, edukasyon, at halos lahat ng aspekto ng buhay ay through digital at Internet na (Transactions, businesses, education, and almost every aspect of life now go through digital processes or the Internet),” she explained.

Meanwhile, Herrera said that the solons’ legislative priorities for the 19th should center on the following: the economic stimulus bill, upskilling and reskilling of the workforce, and the creation of Department of Water and Water Regulatory Commission.

The first two aims to hasten the country’s economic bounce-back and address joblessness, respectively. As for the Department of Water and Water Regulatory Commission, Herrera said that these are “long overdue”.