President Rodrigo Duterte deserves much credit for his accomplishments as he goes into the final year of his administration, whose programs and projects have largely benefited Bacolodnons, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said on Monday.

“Given its problems, not the least of which was an unprecedented pandemic, I think we can give the President high marks for his achievements. Bacolod has been one of those that markedly benefited from the President’s attention,” Leonardia said in a statement after virtually attending Duterte’s sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA).

He cited these achievements to include universal health care, free tertiary education, the campaign against insurgency, war on drugs and criminality, and response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Leonardia said aside from benefiting from infrastructure and social services projects, Bacolod has also made major headway in the rollout of its Covid-19 vaccination program with the assistance of the national government.

“We have one of the most vigorous anti-Covid vaccination programs in the country because the President has been quick to respond to our calls for additional vaccines. He even mentioned Bacolod in his speech,” he added.

As of Monday, more than 100,000 Bacolodnons have already been inoculated against Covid-19, of which about 30,000 are considered fully vaccinated.

Leonardia, who is the national president of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), said Duterte had “an extraordinary presidency, buffeted by extraordinary problems and difficulties.”

“One cannot evaluate President Rodrigo Duterte’s last SONA outside of that context. On behalf of the people of Bacolod, I congratulate the President on his SONA. We look forward to a continuing productive partnership with him,” he added.

As national president of the LCP, Leonardia was invited jointly by the Senate and House of Representatives to personally attend this year’s SONA rites at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

“I am honored by the invitation, but while I would like to attend physically, I would prefer to do it virtually instead due to Covid-related concerns here, which need my personal attention. That is why I had never left Bacolod City since February 2020 when the pandemic started. Yes, not even once,” he said.

Leonardia had personally attended Duterte’s SONA from 2016 to 2019. (PNA)

Photo Credit: Bacolod City PIO