For the last time, Filipinos are expecting reports of his administration's achievements in the last six years, emphasizing Duterte's last two years in the highest seat where the country was baffled by the coronavirus pandemic and the outstanding number of the country's debt.
Duterte, who will be delivering his final SONA before electing his successor in 2022 polls, is best known for his tendency to flip-flop and go off script during his previous national addresses. He would also insert some curse words and colorful threats, particularly focused on his staunch critics. As they say, it is not a Duterte SONA if all of these factors would not be meet.
And so far, in his past five years as president, Duterte's speech has been consistent with all the banters stated.
But before the much-awaited yearly event, let us take a look at what has changed and so far improved from Duterte's SONA in the past years:
2016
During his first-ever SONA as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Duterte mirrored his promises from his presidential campaign — law and order, economic development, and improvement in the government service.
This was also the year where Duterte introduced his intention of creating an interagency committee to deal with the rampant and decade-long illegal drug problem in the country.
It was later on tagged as the bloody and controversial war on drugs campaign that killed thousands.
In the same speech, Duterte stood by the Arbitral Tribunal's decision that favored the Philippines in its arbitration against China’s claims of the West Philippine Sea.
“We strongly affirm and respect the outcome of the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration as an important contribution to the ongoing efforts to pursue a peaceful resolution and management of our disputes,” Duterte said.
Duterte, who was the first Mindanaoan President, was able to devoid using curse words in his first SONA that lasted for an hour and 33 minutes.
2017
The President's 2017 SONA is considered to be one of the most memorable speeches he has ever made.
Not just because of the important points that his administration has accomplished in his first year, but also by the number of times he cursed in the middle of his speech. Duterte used at least 25 expletives, both in Filipino and English, at that time.
It was also his longest SONA to date which lasted for two hours.
Duterte then pushed for the reinstation of the death penalty for drug convicts saying the country should go for "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
This, after his drug war campaign, earned criticisms from the public, especially the human rights groups locally and internationally. However, the President shrugged this off by saying it will be "unrelenting" under his watch.
"The fight will be unrelenting. The fight will not stop until those who deal with it [drugs] understand that they have to stop because the alternative is either jail or hell," Duterte said in his second SONA.
As one of Duterte’s priority reforms, the now-implemented Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) was also mentioned in his SONA.
It aims to address the problems of the previous tax system by “reducing personal income tax, simplifying estate and donor’s taxes, expanding the Value Added Tax, and increasing oil and automobile excise taxes.”
Duterte also took the opportunity to blast communist leader Jose Maria 'Joma' Sison, whom he claimed at that time to be suffering from colon cancer. He also reiterated his decision to "stop talking" with communist rebels.
2018
In his 48-minutes speech in 2018, Duterte was able to, once again, slam human rights critics and discuss the then-Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which seeks to abolish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or the ARMM.
Duterte also refrained from swearing or blasting foul words that year, causing some netizens to praise and acknowledge the shift from a normal speech of the president himself.
It was also on this year that the scene-stealer fracas between then-House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and then-Pampanga Representative and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the House Speaker post.
The chief executive also addressed in his speech the executive order which was signed on Labor Day2018, putting an end to contractualization.
Endo, which is short for “end of contract,” refers to the practice of perpetual contractualization of employees so that employers are able to avoid paying benefits required by law for regular hires.
The President also thanked China for shared intelligence when busting a shabu laboratory with Chinese nationals.
Duterte has developed warm ties with China, refusing to bring up the Philippines’ win at the international arbitral tribunal.
However, most Filipinos believe the government should take a firmer stance against the eastern giant. The administration has booked billions in investments and loans from China, which critics worry will lead to a debt trap and the eventual forfeiture of rights in disputed waters.
2019
In his 2019 SONA, Duterte opened his 4th address to the nation by extending his gratitude to his supporters who have maintained their faith in him while assuring the public that he will be ending his term “fighting.”
“It has been three years since I took my oath of office and it pains me to say that we have not learned our lesson. The Illegal drug problem persists, corruption continues,” Duterte said.
He then once again pushed for the reimposition of the death penalty on crimes related to drugs and plunder.
In the said address, Duterte also condemned the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation for its controversial ghost kidney scam. He also commended the National Bureau of Investigation for the arrest of high-profile criminals.
The Chief Executive also repeated his claim that he can't assert Philippine rights over the West Philippine Sea for fear of sparking a war against China.
It was also in the said SONA where Duterte made some sexist remarks about his "smelly" girlfriend because of the Metro Manila water crisis and the sunbathing women waiting for foreigners in Boracay.
Duterte's 2019 speech, which lasted for an hour and 33 mins, recorded seven cursed words.
2020
Duterte made history in 2020 as the first President to deliver his SONA – in a hybrid format – in the midst of a global pandemic.
With the looming number of COVID-19 cases in the country, his last two SONAs will be in a hybrid format – only a small group of officials are physically present while the rest join the event remotely.
However, this didn't stop the President from throwing banters and threats to so-called "oligarchs."
Duterte opened his speech by stressing how the pandemic has taken on the Philippines as the virus “snuffed” out dreams of prosperity and had the world living in a “troubled time.” He then mentions hopes for a vaccine and extended his gratitude to frontliners who risk their lives to respond to those most affected by the viral disease.
It was in the same speech where Duterte also blasted the then newly-defunct ABS-CBN and its owners, calling them “oligarchs.” The President claimed that he was “victimized” by the Lopezes in the 2016 Presidential election which he won by a landslide.
Duterte also emphasized the country’s positive credit ratings, noting that with a strong economic position, the Philippines is in a “better position to weather the crisis caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic."
