MANILA - A panel of deans, professors, and economists discussed on Thursday the first State of the Nation Address of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Several said they were concerned about conflicting promises on spending, and a lack of commitments on rule-of-law and on fighting corruption.

While several said the absence of anti-corruption promises belies an apathy towards the weakening state of Philippine democracy, another economist meanwhile said he was encouraged by what he described as the absence of populist policies in the SONA.

Imelda Deinla of the Ateneo de Manila School of Government noted that the biggest omission of the SONA was "the absence of remarks on human rights.”

“It shows the lack of interest and lack of concern, especially for individual rights that also has implications on inclusivity and participation. If you don’t give importance to human rights, then how is it possible for a broad range of Filipinos to participate in a meaningful way to function and fulfill their civic duty as a Filipino and contribute to nation-building and the rule of law?” Deinla asked.

Zy-Za Nadine Suzura, Executive Director of the Institute of Leadership, Empowerment, and Democracy or ILEAD discussed President Marcos’ in-depth discussion of his medium term fiscal framework was welcome but lacked a clear vision.

“While the fiscal policy was heavily discussed, fiscal policy will only benefit society if it is contingent on addressing democratic deficits. We need to be able to reclaim that space, democratic governance, so that fiscal policy will benefit not just the elites, politicians,” Suzura said.

She added that civil society and the general public must be vigilant to ensure better tax collections and that more prudent and focused spending benefits the majority.

“We need to watch out and be critical of who’s interests will benefit,” Suzura said.

Francisco Magno, a Senior Fellow at the Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance at De La Salle University, also lamented the SONA’s lack of a clear policy on corruption.

“The President mentioned the government will invest a lot in infrastructure, social services, health provision. That requires also rationalizing the tax system. If you want to collect more from taxpayers, then citizens as taxpayers should also be assured that there will be no leakage, and there have been leakages as estimated by, even the ombudsman. He did not even talk about the need to strengthen the ombudsman," Magno said.

Julio Teehankee, also a Senior Fellow at the Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance at De La Salle University, said it wasn’t surprising President Marcos did not discuss democratic reforms or so-called democratic regression, as the current political system was able to keep him and his allies, the political and economic elite in power.

However, he said he is still hopeful Marcos might take up the cudgels of true democratic reforms to strengthen institutions, improve check and balance against corruption, and allow for a true representation of the majority in government.

“We need to address democratic regression. If he ran in the election like the democratic Marcos of 1965 trying to redeem himself from the authoritarian Marcos of 1986… If the president who ends up strengthening democratic institutions would be another Marcos... well hope springs eternal. Let us hope that actually happens,” Teehankee said.

Foundation for Economic Freedom President, Economist Calixto Chikiamco had a different point of view on the most glaring omission of the SONA.

"What was missing in SONA is actually a good thing. What was missing was references to P20 rice, reviewing the Rice Tariffication Law and other protectionist and populist measures. I did not see any populist measures unlike that of President Duterte. The absence of that is a good thing. He did not revert to populism," Chikiamco said.

He also took a different stance on the state of Filipino democracy.

"I would say it is sound. That we just had elections, and there was a peaceful transition of power and the majority expressed their opinion through the vote, in that sense, we are on a firmer footing as far as democracy is concerned.”

• Social agenda sought in Marcos' first SONA
• Marcos vows to finish ongoing infrastructure projects, including Mindanao railway

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