Opposition Leader Set to Deliver Counter-SONA

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano is set to deliver his "kontra-SONA" (counter-SONA) on Tuesday, a parliamentary tradition where minority senators can refute the President's version of the country's present state, following President Marcos' fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow. In a Facebook Live on Friday afternoon, Cayetano asked his followers on social media to share what they wanted addressed in his kontra-SONA. He expressed his view that SONA should be translated into "SANA" for "stewarding a national agenda," calling for unity instead of partisan politics. Meanwhile, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian expects President Marcos to address measures on how to tackle the rising costs of living and slow economic growth. Speaking on dzBB on Friday, Gatchalian attributed the economic slowdown to decreased infrastructure spending, which he linked to the flood control mess. While he could not predict the President's exact words, he noted progress in pursuing those behind the massive public works corruption scheme. "What's important is that it won't happen again. That is where I'm concerned. When the people forget, it will repeat. So, reforms and processes in the system are important," Gatchalian stated, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to prevent recurrence. In parallel, consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch Philippines urged Malacañang to include the long-delayed proposed Site Blocking bill in the priority legislative agenda. CitizenWatch co-convenor Kit Belmonte said the measure is essential to protect Filipino consumers, strengthen intellectual property rights, and sustain the country's digital economy. Site blocking operates through a Shared Blocking Management Database, a content control portal enabling regulators to collaborate with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the National Telecommunications Commission in disrupting illegal online activities across multiple sectors. Belmonte highlighted that government agencies have demonstrated their ability to work together to curb illegal online gambling, financial scams, fake medicines, online child exploitation, and other digital threats through a coordinated, rules-based mechanism. He argued that this experience provides a compelling case for institutionalizing site blocking through legislation. Belmonte added that while the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines has made significant progress in strengthening IP enforcement, the agency's site-blocking capability remains a work in progress without explicit statutory authority. He concluded that the proposed legislation aligns with the administration's broader economic agenda of promoting innovation, the creative economy, digital transformation, and investment-led growth, becoming even more urgent as artificial intelligence rapidly transforms industries worldwide. -- Bella Cariaso