LIST: Top 8 Duterte SONA 2016 promises

LIST: Top 8 Duterte SONA 2016 promises

Promises of peace, free public Wi-Fi, and lower tax rates are just some of the highlights of President Rodrigo Duterte's first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Here's a list of what Duterte wants to achieve as chief executive:

1. Unrelenting war against drugs

Duterte will continue his all-out campaign against drugs and criminality, even ordering the Philippine National Police to "triple its efforts" to stop the illegal drug trade.

"We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bar--or below the ground if they so wish," he said.

2. Lasting peace with rebels; full force against terrorists

Duterte also declared a unilateral ceasefire with leftist rebels as part of his bid to end Asia's longest running Maoist insurgency.

This was welcomed by the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, saying Duterte's order for a unilateral ceasefire should be followed by the "release of all current political prisoners under the amnesty proclamation to be issued by the President Duterte." But the fate of terrorists in the Philippines won't be the same, as Duterte vowed to crush terrorism and strengthen laws against terrorism financing to suppress kidnappings in east Asian waters.

3. Hooray for Wi-Fi

Duterte has ordered the creation of a national broadband plan, which will allow free Wi-Fi access in public parks, plazas, libraries, government hospitals, schools, airports, and seaports.

4. Lower income tax rates and corporate tax rates.

Hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide wore black and posted their photos in social media in 2015 to show support for tax reform. Photo courtesy of the Tax Management Association of the Philippines

Best news for workers? Duterte also called for lower personal and corporate income tax rates as he vowed to steer the economy to a higher growth path to uplift the poor.

“My administration will pursue tax reforms towards a simpler and more equitable tax system that can foster investments. We will lower personal and corporate income tax rates."

5. No more hellish commutes

Better trains, more options for travel. This is what Duterte also promised as he urged Congress anew to grant him emergency powers to help address the traffic problem in Metro Manila.

"Alam naman ninyo na sagad na. If you give it, fine. If not, we will take the longer route. Slowly," he said.

He also dispelled doubts that granting emergency powers would lead to graft and corruption. "I assure you, this will be a clean government," he said.

Duterte said he will increase the capacity of the train systems in the capital, extend operating hours of the LRT, and make them run faster to accommodate more commuters.

6. Better macro-economic policies

Duterte vowed that economic growth would be felt by the poor by implementing new monetary policies and by relaxing bank secrecy rules to curb tax evasion.

Duterte said he plans to leave an economy that would be “much stronger” by the end of his six-year term in 2022.

“My administration will continue and maintain current macroeconomic policies and even do better,” he told lawmakers, top government officials and diplomats.

“We will achieve this through prudent fiscal and monetary policies that can help translate high growth into more and better job creation and poverty reduction,” he said.

7. No more lines for government services

Duterte said he would reduce the processing time for issuing business permits and licenses "to the barest minimum," as he reiterated his pledge to cut down on red tape.

"In my city, it is always three days for local governments, that will bind the Office of the President down to barangay level," he said.

Duterte said motor vehicle plates should also be issued at the point of sale to prevent backlogs at the Land Transportation Office. The validity of driver's licenses will also be extended from the current three years to five years.

8. No more political bickering

Duterte promised not to dwell on the mistakes committed by previous administrations, as holding on to the past will ''pull us back."

''Finger-pointing is not the way, that is why I will not waste precious time dwelling on the sins of the past or blaming or those perceived to be responsible for the mess that we are in and suffering from,'' the President said.

Duterte said he would rather take lessons from past mistakes.

"It is the present we are concerned with and the future that we should be prepared for," he said.