THREE Pangasinan congressmen gave the thumbs-up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s 5th State of the Nation Address on Monday.

House Deputy Speaker and Pangasinan Third District Rep. Rose Marie Arenas said Duterte reiterated his resolve to fight against criminality, as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

Arenas agreed with the Mr. Duterte’s emphasis that government should strike a balance between health concerns and economic recovery while pointing out “that life should come first in the battle against the pandemic.”

“More than ever, we should realize the enormous burden that the President carries on his shoulder as he leads the country through the most tumultuous times,” she said.

Arenas pointed out that given the global scale of this pandemic, the Philippines is fortunate enough not to be the most affected, “but we remain vulnerable unless a vaccine is developed and economic stimulus packages have been implemented, that will address the loss of jobs and closure of small business”.

For his part, Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia lauded Duterte for certifying as urgent the CREATE Bill to lower corporate income tax from 30 percent to 25 percent to help companies and businesses, as well as the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act to give stimulus fund of P160-billion to provide additional help.

He remains hopeful that the ARISE Philippines Bill which is the version of the Stimulus Bill in the Lower House worth P1.3-trillion which is more comprehensive will be passed.

De Venecia also lauded the President’s programs for the Overseas Filipino Workers who lost their jobs and had to be repatriated and agreed that “travel local” that will incorporate “buy local” is the right strategy to support small business.

He also supported Mr. Duterte’s call to the private and government sectors to improve telecom and ICT infrastructure in the country, especially in schools as the country is heading towards mixed or multimodal learning.

Meanwhile, Fifth District Rep. Ramon Guico III said Mr. Duterte’’s statements  affirmed efforts that the fifth district, among them is the establishment of special economic zones in the province to provide thousands of jobs and contribute to jumpstarting the rural economy, are aligned with the program of the President.
He cited the investment of Sumi North Philippines Wiring Corp. (Sumitomo) in Binalonan, that will provide 8,000-12,000 jobs. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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