MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte hammered on his favorite topics, such

as illegal drugs and mining, when he delivered his second State of the Nation Address
(SONA) on Monday, July 24.

In his annual report to Congress, Duterte also singled out key personalities, such as
Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, who was in the audience, and communist leader Jose
Maria Sison, who is in The Netherlands.

Below are the key issues mentioned in Duterte's second SONA, with links to stories
published on Rappler:

WAR ON DRUGS – Duterte said that his war on drugs "will be unrelenting," and that
the option for drug traffickers "is either jail or hell"

DEATH PENALTY – Duterte pushed for the death penalty again, saying that "in the
Philippines, it's really an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"

MINING – Duterte said mining companies will face steep taxes if they do not spend
enough on rehabilitating areas that host their operations

JOMA SISON – Duterte claimed that communist leader Jose Maria "Joma" Sison
issuffering from colon cancer, but Sison called this a "blatant lie"

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW – Duterte appealed to the Supreme Court to lift its
two-year temporary restraining order on contraceptive implants

K TO 12 – Duterte said the government vows to implement the K to 12 program that

expands the basic education system, meaning grade school and high school, to grade
12

BALANGIGA BELLS – Duterte told the United States to return the iconic Balangiga
bells, which in 1901 led to the US military's worst single defeat in the Philippines

TAX REFORM – Duterte urged senators to pass the Duterte administration's first
batch of tax reforms, as he called out Senator Juan Edgardo Angara for not clapping
when he made this request

RAPPLER – Duterte claimed that Rappler is "fully owned by Americans," but Rappler
clarified that it is 100% Filipino-owned (READ: Debunking lies about Rappler)