Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte holds his first State of the Nation Address today. He is the first president from Mindanao to deliver the speech.

He spoke on his government's policies, the nation's economy, security and human rights. Duterte also described his plans to wipe out crime, to improve social security and justice.  He said environmental protection will be a priority for his administration but it must not hinder the country's industrialisation.

The tradition of delivering a State of the Nation Address -- or SONA -- started in the Philippines back in 1935. Since then, delivering a SONA has become a constitutional obligation and a yearly tradition, where presidents report on the status of the country, unveil the government's agenda for the coming year, and propose legislative measures to Congress.