#sona 2014

Defiant.

Protesters remained in high spirits despite the unholy dispersal of the PNP to rallyists who tried to get near Batasan Pambansa during Monday's SONA. Water cannons were fired left and right, but did not deter the thousands of militants who gathered at Commonwealth earlier that day to counter the lies of Aquino thru a People's SONA.

The SONA highlighted the achievements of the government on education and social services, economy improvement, and calamity efforts, among others. Many of these achievements were gained through years of planning, and are products of plans mentioned in the past SONAs, and are hoped to be sustained as evidenced by the plans presented in this year's SONA.

Education and Social Services. Through the help of DAP, the government was able to help many TESDA scholars achieve their goals of graduating and getting employed. It seems that the administration has furthered their plans of supporting academic scholars until they are 18 years old as part of the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) mentioned by Aquino in the past SONA. However, out of the 223,615 TESDA beneficiaries who have graduated, only 146,731 are employed. Meaning about 35% of the graduates remain unemployed. It is clear that although the training is provided, the transition from school to work has not been improved adequately.

Economy Improvement. The Philippines has become one of the leading countries in Asia for its growth in GDP and GNP. Employment rate has also been improving. Poverty incidence has also reduced to 24.9% in the first quarter of 2013. However, one cannot take increase in GDP and GNP at face value because it is evident that that the increase is mostly contributed by the increase in consumption and government spending. Investment remains limited, as shown by the relatively low foreign direct investment (FDI) compared to the rest of Southeast Asia. The government is yet to improve local and foreign investment in the country.

Calamity Efforts. 3.5 billion pesos was alloted for disaster relief efforts in response to the Bohol-Cebu earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda. A large part of the funds were spent on infrastructure and providing jobs. The efforts are effective, despite being untimely and controversial. However, the large amount budgeted to repair damages could have been better spent in actually preventing or at least mitigate adverse effects of natural disasters.

Kris Aquino, Winner In The ‘Fashion People’s Choice’ In SONA!

Kris Aquino led to a number of ‘likes’ on the Facebook account of ABSCBNnews.com. In Aquino’s SONA last Monday, the netizens commented on the gowns of the attendees. And there the ABS-CBN had an idea, to have a survey, who will have the best gown among the attendees.

During the first day, Kris immediately led, and next is Lucy Torres. Nearly two thousand is the difference between Kris and Lucy,…

In President Aquino’s SONA, he highlighted the achievements of the government under his administration on education, social services, economy, improvement, infrastructure, calamity efforts, jobs, rehabilitation after typhoons and earthquake, modernization of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), security, ARMM Bangsamoro and livelihood.

The successes of Aquino’s programs were mentioned, such as the funding of the Training-for-Work Scholarship Program of TESDA which has benefited more than 200,000 students, and the Expanded Conditional Cash Transfer program which he said to have reduced poverty incidence to 24.9% in the first quarter of 2013.

Economically, the country was said to be doing well, as shown by the high investment rating it received last year. The government has also doubled the budget for infrastructure and Aquino highlights the numerous developments by DPWH. The AFP and the national police continue to receive more and better equipment. Response to recent calamities were said to have been successful.

                The 29th day of July, 2014, a Monday, was, in more ways than one  a day as ordinary as the one that preceded it yet as different as two things could be; I woke up at 7:30 am (a little later than usual for I didn’t have to go to school that day), washed my face, fixed my bed (stuff I did everyday), ate the last piece of Go Nuts Donuts (my parents brought home a dozen the day before) and drank coffee for breakfast, later on I went to my former high school to help my brother out with a school-related event, met my mom for lunch, and then headed back home. Like I said, ordinary, but it is also not every day that I do all the things I did that day.

                It wasn’t until around some time past four in the afternoon, I was alone at home, that I did another unusual thing that during another day, I wouldn’t have done without company: I was intent on watching something on TV. I’m not the type of person who’s big on television shows except for this Koreanovela my mom and I are fond of which sometimes I would even disregard seeing. Except that day, there was no Koreanovela to watch, but something of greater importance: President Aquino was to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address which, in my opinion, was a soap opera in its own rights.

`               President Aquino began his speech by looking back at the beginning of his administration, wherein he found the country at its lowest point: an inferior economy, a nation knee-deep in poverty, and its people utterly and completely distrustful of their government and of each other. From there, he then began enumerating the progress, developments, and achievements made under his term, even grazing over the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program and how this very project has helped so many TESDA scholars to work on their future.

                With so many critiques and critics alike watching the President’s every move, waiting for him to err and prove his slogan “Tuwid na Daan” wrong; I sometimes wonder how he takes it all. Just like the President himself, I have my responsibilities and tasks, expectations to live up to, rules to follow, people to please, choices to make and consequences to face. But unlike him, the nation doesn’t rely on me. Anyways, I seriously think that the Filipino people rely too much on him and him alone. Yes, we elected President Noy to govern us and lead us towards the right path, away from the lowest of lows and darkest of days, and to be honest that is exactly what he has been trying to do for the past few years.

                Do we seriously expect everything to change in just under 6 years or so? Do we seriously think that that change could happen through the work of one person alone? We continue to face the same problems that we have faced but that doesn’t mean we have the right to place all the blame on the President himself. Just like what he said in his latest SONA, this is just the beginning, which means there are still steps to be taken and it’s not just his or any other public servant’s job to try and improve our nation quality of living, it is also in our own hands.

                I was moved and truly taken by Mr. President’s speech for it became clear to me that he only wants the best for his “Boss”, and that is exactly what he has been working on achieving. Quoting him, “The Filipino is worth fighting for,” and I believe him, for we search him for his faults, but never look to marvel at what he has done for our nation, and that is what he’s doing; he FIGHTS for what he thinks is best, he FIGHTS his detractors to continue serving us, the Filipino people.

SONA ng Bayan

Remember that you are free. You need not follow anyone but yourself.

Remember that the authorities are just like you; they are people that err, and should be treated as such. They are not Gods, they are not to be worshiped. They can be brought down.

Remember that you aren't made to be oppressed. You can fight back-- you should fight back. As one, you are nothing; but as many, the stars will bow down to you.

It's one of the problems, especially of those who do not understand the reason why those people marched all the way to Batasan Road. The problem is you instantly believe what the people in power tell you. They tell you we have attained economic growth, produced jobs, enhanced defense blah blah, but if these promises were really fulfilled, would the people who were asking for these still waste their time and energy marching to some godforsaken place under different weather circumstances. and on top of that endure what these dunderhead of police army do, to push them away with a strong gush of water from a fire-hose? Because of their power and influence they withheld things that will cause their downfall. They call it STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS but if you look closely it isn't the state of the nation that he is telling people. It is only the great deeds he had done that he showcases. 

It isn't fun. No, the masses don't do this for fun. They don't do these for the experience of getting wet. They do these because they want their voices to be heard. It isn't fun getting bombed at by a strong current of water but after all the shouting and marching and standing under they hot rays of the sun, we feel this sense of fulfillment, after going against powerful state apparatuses and letting our voices be heard. It gives us a sense of camaraderie, of security that we are not alone in this fight.