Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) – the world’s oldest debt-watch monitor and only coalition in the world working on the Philippines’ debt problems and realizing a common framework agenda for economic development – held the State of the People’s Address (SOPA) 2019: Tunay na Kaunlaran para sa Mamamayan, hindi ang Pagyaman ng Iilan on July 16. In anticipation of President Duterte’s 3rd SONA, the SOPA raised critical questions on the priority legislative agenda expected to be en-dorsed by a majority of Philippine lawmakers.
The SOPA considered as a critical assessment on the so-called accomplishments of the Admin-istration on its 3rd year, but more importantly how the economic policies continue to impact nega-tively on Filipinos, and related the true state of the nation with analyses led by speakers including FDC President Dr. Rene Ofreneo, former Congressman Dr. Walden Bello, Ms. Mae Buenaventura of the Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development, Dr. Eduardo Tadem of the UP Center for Integrative Development Studies and Atty. Tony Salvador from IDEALS and also FDC’s BOT member.