Several senators are eager to hear about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic agenda for the next six years in his first State-of-the-Nation-Address (SONA) on July 25.

Senator Sonny Angara is particularly interested in knowing the specifics of the plan of the President to work hand-in-hand with the private sector as partners.

“Ito po ang unang SONA ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos at marami ang natuwa sa kanyang inaugural speech nung sinabi niyang gusto niyang makitang maging partner ng pribadong sektor ang gobyerno (This is the first SONA of President Bongbong Marcos and many were pleased with his inaugural speech when he said he wants to see government partnering with the private sector),” Angara said in a statement on Thursday.

Just like other Filipinos, Angara said he wants to listen to the plans of President Marcos for the recovery of the economy and addressing the various concerns of the different sectors affected by the pandemic.

As the President will be delivering his SONA before a nation facing a magnitude of challenges, Senator Grace Poe is expecting the President will focus on the country’s agricultural production to support local farmers and fisherfolk, saying it is crucial as they bring food to the table and provide the backbone toward food security.

“Hunger punishes the children most. Its effects are irreversible. We hope that government feeding programs in schools and communities will be beefed up and expanded to cover all intended beneficiaries without fail,” Poe said.

Providing economic opportunities, she added, should be at the core of the comprehensive infrastructure plan marked by crucial and high-impact projects that are thoroughly planned and carried out without delay and wastage.

“Efficient implementation of projects will propel economic activities and allow our people to thrive in these hard times,” Poe said.

What Senator Francis Tolentino wants to hear are those concerning agriculture, the plan to rightsize the government, foreign policy, the coronavirus disease 2019 response, and most importantly, the economy.

“Yung sa ekonomiya natin, kung ano yung dapat gawin na mga bagong fiscal policies na gawin ng finance cluster nang sa ganoon ay maibsan yung nararamdaman na inflation (In our economy, what fiscal policies should be created by the finance cluster to mitigate the effects of the inflation),” Tolentino said on Net25’s “Sa Ganang Mamamayan.”

Before President Marcos delivers his first SONA, he said the Senate will elect its President, who – as agreed upon by the chamber’s “super majority” – is expected to be Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The following day, on July 26, Tolentino said the senators will start electing chairpersons of various Senate committees. (PNA)