Bukidnon Second District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores is urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to use his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to champion three difficult but crucial reforms: an anti-political dynasty law, expanded healthcare and medical education in Mindanao, and stronger safeguards against online gambling.

"The SoNA should not only report what the government has already accomplished. It should also identify the difficult problems that require presidential leadership and political will," Flores said in a statement.

"These are not three unrelated concerns. They are about opening public offices to more Filipinos, opening medical education to deserving students in Mindanao, and closing the digital doors that make gambling dangerously easy."

Anti-dynasty law

Flores said Congress is closer than ever to fulfilling the Constitution's mandate against political dynasties. He authored House Bill 381, one of the measures consolidated into the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Act approved by the House of Representatives.

"Political families should not be allowed to occupy every available position and leave voters with no meaningful choice. Democracy is best served when elections are competitive and more qualified Filipinos are given the opportunity to run," he said.

He urged Marcos to call on lawmakers to pass an enforceable anti-dynasty law during the 20th Congress.

Healthcare for Mindanao

The lawmaker also appealed for presidential support for House Bill 9390, which seeks to establish a College of Medicine at Bukidnon State University (BukSU) in Malaybalay City to help address the shortage of doctors in Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao, and other underserved areas.

"The BukSU College of Medicine is not merely another school building or academic program. It is a long-term response to the shortage of doctors in communities far from the country's major medical centers," Flores said.

He also filed bills to convert the Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center into a regional hospital and establish a multispecialty hospital in Malaybalay.

"A medical school, a regional hospital, and a multispecialty facility should form part of one healthcare strategy. We must train more doctors in Mindanao and give them modern hospitals where they can serve," he said.

Online gambling safeguards

Flores also pushed for stricter regulation of online gambling through e-wallets and digital payment platforms.

He authored House Bill 721, which seeks to prohibit the promotion of online gambling on e-wallets and similar applications.

"E-wallets were created to help people pay bills, send money, save, and participate in the digital economy. They should not become direct gateways to gambling addiction, debt, crime, and ruined families," he said.

He said payment applications should no longer provide direct links to gambling platforms and called for stronger protections for minors, low-income earners, government aid beneficiaries, and other vulnerable groups.