The Palace maintained on Wednesday that a rocket launch would be a marker of progress for the nation and benefit Filipinos, despite netizens’ clamor for solutions to critical issues such as hunger, a deficit in classrooms, and the faulty healthcare systems.

“Ang iangat natin ay ang mga naisin ng Pangulo para sa bansa at para sa taumbayan. Huwag na silang magsilbing balakid sa mga ninanais ng Pangulo sa pag-asenso ng ating bansa,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in response to “raised eyebrows” at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s announcement during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

“Ito po ay isang parte ng pag-asenso ng bansa. Common, common sense!” she added later.

The Palace officer said that Marcos continues to address the nation’s primary concerns.

“Kung sila (netizens) po ay nakinig sa Pangulo at nakikita po nila ang lahat ng programa, ito po naman ay tinutugunan ng ating Pangulo. Hindi pa po tapos ang obligasyon ng ating Pangulo sa pag-usad ng ating bansa, nandidiyan pa rin po, tuluy-tuloy ang pagtatrabaho,” she said.

On Monday, Marcos said the Philippines is slated to send a rocket into space by next year, in partnership with a South Korean aerospace firm.

“A sounding rocket launch test is slated for next year. Yes, we are going to launch a rocket into space,” the President announced.

On Tuesday, Senator Robin Padilla criticized this, calling on Marcos to prioritize transportation fixes in the Bicol Region before setting his sights on space.

“Ako po natutuwa diyan dahil nung bata ako, ako ay taga-hanga… Pangarap ‘yan ng bawat bansa pero sana ang kahilingan ko po, bago tayo makarating dyan, maayos muna ang transportasyon namin sa Bicol,” he said during the Kontra-SONA.