Akbayan Partylist also highlighted the urgent need for assistance to families struggling with the rising cost of living.
AKBAYAN Partylist Representative Chel Diokno has outlined key expectations for President Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), emphasizing a need for truth, concrete plans, and a clear roadmap for national progress.
Diokno stressed that the SONA should provide a realistic assessment of the nation’s current state, moving beyond mere promises to offer tangible solutions.
Specifically, the partylist called for concrete plans to address the ongoing education crisis, recommending the allocation of 6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education, in line with UN recommendations.
This, they argue, should include building more classrooms, hiring more teachers, and providing greater student support, including the implementation of their proposed “Baon Bill” which would provide ₱5,000 monthly assistance to the poorest students to combat the current 45% dropout rate.
Beyond education, Akbayan Partylist also highlighted the urgent need for assistance to families struggling with the rising cost of living.
Their recommendations include the immediate certification of a ₱200 minimum wage increase as urgent, the implementation of an Expanded Universal Social Pension providing an additional ₱1,500 to senior citizens’ pensions, and the enactment of the Kontra E-Sugal Bill to combat the negative impacts of online gambling.
The partylist argues that the funds for these initiatives are available, citing the government’s previous allocation of billions of pesos to the Maharlika Investment Fund.
They contend that the issue is not a lack of funds, but rather a lack of political will to prioritize the needs of the Filipino people. The statement underscores the partylist’s commitment to advocating for policies that directly benefit the most vulnerable sectors of society.
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