Sustaining a strong economy and investing in human capital and physical infrastructure are expected to form the central theme of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) before the joint session of the 14^th Congress on July 23, according to Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye.

In his weekly column, View from the Palace that comes out tomorrow, Bunye also said that among the other core issues that the President is expected to take up in her message to the nation are her vision of turning the Philippines into a First World country within the next two decades, the quest for permanent peace in Mindanao, policy reforms and investments.

Bunye stressed, however, that as of now the President’s SONA is still very much a "work in progress."

 "The President herself writes and rewrites it on her laptop computer and the final version is completed only a few minutes before she boards the presidential vehicle on her way to Congress," he said.

"I have not seen the latest revision (probably revision No. 8 by now) but I believe that in her SONA, the President will talk about her vision of the Philippines as First World in 20 years; and what she would like to do in the next three years to achieve that vision," said Bunye.

Under the President’s development strategy, the Philippines shall have attained First World status by 2027 and by then "we will have dramatically reduced poverty, created a robust middle class, and have all the hallmarks of a modern society in strong, stable institutions."

"A central theme would be sustaining a strong economy and investing in human and physical infrastructure." Bunye said, referring to the President’s SONA.

Aside from her vision of the Philippines 2027, the President is also "expected to give an update on what we have achieved so far" in terms of the Super Regions infrastructure framework that she unveiled in her SONA 2006.

The Chief Executive is also expected to enumerate "what the doables are this year towards making our country more competitive and, therefore, more attractive to investors," Bunye said.

"She is expected to cover reforms and investments in education and social services," he added.

The Malacaņang official said that the President, who grew up in Iligan in Mindanao, is also "expected to cover the subject of waging peace in Mindanao, which should cover not just the fight against terror, but also the development initiatives to realize the full potential of Mindanao."

"In sum, the President is expected to show to the nation a path of economic growth, political stability and social justice," Bunye said.

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As the Human Security Act takes effect today (Sunday), Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye reiterated the government’s assurances that human rights and civil liberties will be protected.

Republic Act No. 9372, also known as An Act to Secure the State and Protect Our People from Terrorism, "enhances the safety and domestic security of our country by giving us more legal power to prosecute those who commit any acts of terror on our people," Bunye said in his weekly column, View from the Palace which comes out tomorrow (Monday).

"The law empowers enforcers to crush the terrorist movement in the country and to transform our nation’s response to political violence, while at the same time ensuring that civil rights are protected," he added.

Bunye pointed out that with the HSA in place, suspected terrorists in police custody cannot just post bail only to commit another terroristic act.

He cited the gruesome Davao City Airport bombing on March 4, 2003 wherein the prime suspect in the bloody attack was allowed to post bail due to a legal technicality.

"At the time of the Davao Airport bombing incident, we still had no Human Security Act. The police nabbed a suspect whom they charged with illegal possession of firearms. The suspect eventually bailed himself out, only to commit another act of terrorism by perpetuating the North Cotabato bombing," Bunye said.

"The law’s message is clear: if you are armed and kill civilians, you will be prosecuted. If you are a communist terrorist, religious terrorist or even a rogue element of our police or military, you will be stopped," he said.

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