President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is expected to reveal his COVID-19 pandemic recovery program during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasan Pambansa on Monday.

"When we speak of COVID response, it’s not only about health. It goes all the way to the entire cycle of the economy, not just health. You go into education, and so on and so forth," Rodriguez told reporters in an interview last Friday.

These measures, Rodriguez said, will include digitalization of governance to ensure efficiency in government operations amid the pandemic.

Also expected to be included in the SONA message of Marcos will be ways to cope with the food crisis.

"He (Marcos) took head on the portfolio of the Department of Agriculture because he’s aware of the impending food price crisis and probably food supply crisis," Rodriguez said.

"It is his thrust; It is his vision for us not only to have food security but food sovereignty. Meaning, we don’t have to rely on much importation anymore," he added.

After the SONA, Rodriguez said the Cabinet is expected to tackle its priority legislation through the Legislative-Executive Agenda Advisory Council (LEDAC) and 2023 national budget proposal.

"All our efforts are now geared towards SONA understandably, and after that we will do all this things concerning the LEDAC," Rodriguez said,

"We also have to look into the budget and he’s given by law 30 days from the opening of Congress to submit his budget proposal," he added. DMS