In the newspaper today,
The SONA will be, as usual, a great document from the President. There will be a discussion on what has been achieved in the past year and also of the entire term of the President. As we all know, this will be her last SONA.
Year after year, we listened. Year after we have heard of promises. Without knowing it, it has been 9 years–which seems like it was only yesterday.
SONA 2008
One year ago today, she stood there in the Podium confidently enumerating one achievement after another from the creation of millions of jobs; to the construction of bridges, roads, classrooms; to the provision of scholarships; to the provision of electricity and water supply; to the formation of housing centers; to the automation of the electoral process; to ending the peace process; to the closure of the divisiveness among the force of Edsa 1, 2 and 3, which are all part of her Ten-Point Agenda.
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, 54 minutes, with 102 applauses in between, in front of the members of the Senate, House of Representatives, Diplomatic Corps, and the general public. Very well said! loud and clear! that is, for those who have a good understanding of the English language. Poor Pedro, Juan and Maria who have eagerly waited to listen to what she would say–for somehow hope was still in their hearts (just like mine), even though it was only a flicker of hope to a nation in crisis.
What was the meat? What was it that the ordinary person in the streets and in their homes understood. Ah yes–TEXTING. She said that “Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut the cost of messages between networks. They responded. It is now down to 50 centavos.” Whoa! For a while, the Filipino was taken for a ride. The matter of texting is one thing each Filipino understood. That would have come as a relief, at least it was something tangible, something each would have felt. It was a LIE, a mere LIE!!! And we all know it.
SONA 2009
Again at 4 pm today, President GMA will address the nation for her 10th State of the Nation Address (her last? this is the BIG question, I dare say). Again, we will listen. What will it be this time? They say it will be about the economy and education. How about Charter Change?
Will she promise that this will be her last SONA? (Remember history? She said she won’t run for the elections–and RUN she did!? Will she say “I am sorry”? Indeed she has a lot of things to be sorry for–we may see the hard infrastructures–roads, bridges, airports, schools, etc. that she has been so proud of. How about that which we cannot see? Has her regime made people less poor? Has there been more food on the table of each family? Has her regime made people more educated? Has her regime made us as a country at par with our neighbors–Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, etc., in terms of progress? Maybe in terms of national debt–we have surpassed all of them. Has her regime made the Filipino families in general happy? Or has it made the Filipino families more dysfunctional with the number of OFWs increasing by the hundreds or thousands each day? Questions…questions…questions. I have so many. The Filipino has so many.
I will watch–look intently at her eyes, to catch a glimpse of even a little bit of sincerity, whatever remains of it in her. A little bit of sincerity will do, it might give me a little bit of hope, even if it is a little bit less of the flicker of hope that I had in my heart last year. Because I do not want to lose hope–there is so much at stake–the happiness of the Filipino, the happiness of my family, my happiness.
Why not a real SONA?
Why not a SONA this time that gives the real STATE OF THE NATION? What is the real state of our national debt? What is the state of our economy? Of poverty? And what is the state of the coffers of them in power and the coffers of them puppets. And yes, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO?
More so, this is not anymore the time to point fingers on whose fault the STATE OF THE NATION nas become. We let it happen. We are all part and parcel of the State of the Nation we have today. For all the past 9 years, we each have our own fault–We saw it coming, yet we did nothing.
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23 responses so far ↓
myepinoy // Jul 27, 2009 at 10:56 pm
The SONA was amazing! I just wonder what country she was describing.
Is Manny Pacquiao part of gloria’s achievement in governance?
Pahingi nga ng paracetamol, sumasakit ang aking ulo ko.
Philippines: Reactions to the 9th State of the Nation Address :: Elites TV // Jul 29, 2009 at 1:58 pm
[...] D Spot asks if the 2009 SONA is Arroyo’s last. Will she promise that this will be her last SONA? [...]
guen valle // Aug 2, 2009 at 9:56 pm
her SONA was the best!! kayong mga tao kayo, wala kayo alam kundi tignan ang mali ng kapwa niyo tao.. like what u’ve said na d nia sinabi ung kundisyon ng utang ng pilipinas, pwd mo po vah uliting pakinggan ang knyang SONA?? it was clearly stated there ang pgbaba ng percent ng utang.. and all was because of the taxes she implemented.. if i were you, i would just look at the good side of her administration rather than always reacting negatively at such..
un lng po.. “no hard feelings..” just plain opinion.
guen valle // Aug 2, 2009 at 9:59 pm
in additon, e anu f tumakbo siya uli?? e d wag niyo iboto para d manalo..
but among all na gusto tumakbo this next election, wala yatang matinong pwd manalo e..
again, and agian, opinion lng..
abueva manilyn // Aug 3, 2009 at 10:13 am
naku naku..
even though GMA has achievements, still did commit mistakes… and dat’s acceptable..
BUT, a big BUT, she should already learned from her mistakes not to commit it again and again..
how could the people trust a president like her if.. she could not stand to her promises like… NOT TO RUN ANYMORE as aPRESIDENt but she did.. now let us see if she will break a promise again…
abueva manilyn // Aug 3, 2009 at 10:16 am
one more example.. in her 2008 SONA.. i probably heard, not just probably but also certainly heard, that text messages are NOW(2008 SONA) down to P.50. now… could you please send a SMS to a phone.. let us see if it is true that txt messages are now P.50……
abueva manilyn // Aug 3, 2009 at 10:19 am
well, GMA, despite of her shortcomings, should still be strong and should really prove to the PEOPLE that she deserves to be our president. one mistake is acceptable BUT if that mistake was repeated, well i think as a President ( a model to all) should know what to do, come down…
kolokoyz // Aug 4, 2009 at 4:57 pm
purong kasinungalingan lng yan…………….
shiela marie silang // Aug 5, 2009 at 10:40 pm
..i am only 16 yrs ald, and, i always open my eyes and my mind, to know what are, the contribution and improvement in our country, since Pres. Gloria Macapagal Aroyo, sit on her place as our President. And i always thinking , why did the Filipino’s vote her as a President and put her in the position.
..Since, a year after, her 1st SONA last 2001. Many promises that never been done, since 2001 to 2008. She always enumerate her all achievements. Laging sinasabi ang katagang,”mag bibigay ng trabaho, para sa mga walang trabaho”. Nasan na ang trabahong ipinangako, at pinaka-iintay ng mamamayan. Na ito ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit lugmok pa rin tayo sa kahirapan, na parang kailan man ay di na natin matakas at malusutan.
..Di ko sinasabing,walang syang nagawa, simula ng umupo sya sa kangyang pwesto. Ang sa akin lang, bago man sya umalis at magpaalam sa kanyang pwesto, bigyan naman nya, ng kahulugan na naging Presidente din sya ng Pilipinas. Patunayan nya na mali ang lahat na binabatikos sa kanya. At bigyan naman nya ng konting pagbabago, kahit konti lang tanggap na nating lahat at asenso sa buhay ang Pilipinas, hindi puro utang lang.
guen valle // Aug 7, 2009 at 1:45 pm
sa list ng mga predentiables nung time ni PGMA na “kuno” nandaya xa, hu wud u think s d best na maging or karapatdapat na maging president sana, “f d xa nandaya”?? c fpj dba?? na we all know na 1000% na d talaga xa karapat-dapat… at isa pa, lam nmn natin na kea lng marami ng-vote sa knya e dahil lng sa kasikatan nia..
guen valle // Aug 7, 2009 at 1:46 pm
“Compared to the past, we have built more and better infrastructure, including those started by others but left unfinished.”, “At the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage…but not from the Presidency. My term does not end until next year.”, “A President must be on the job 24/7, ready for any contingency, any crisis, anywhere, anytime….”, and “I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my office for personal profit. Many of those who accuse me of it have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime….” – These are just lines of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s speech in her SONA last July 27, 2009.
This speech was her 9th during her term. She had talked about all her projects that had been finished or have been done during her term. She thanked the congress, whom obviously had been her collaboration during the said projects. Though many of her critics would say that her SONA was a nonsense one, still, in my own observation and in my own opinion, it was indeed marvelous. Among all Presidents who had served our country, I can say that only in PGMA’s term that our foreign debt had went down. It was indeed a very great success to our country’s economy. Though many would say that because of her implementation of the so-called “VAT”, many Filipinos are in the state of poverty, in which the poor became poorer. But let’s try to look on the good side this VAT had given us. Definitely, it helped our foreign debt drop from 78% down to 55%! Such achievement should be given a big, big round of applause.
In her speech, she had emphasized that she, as a president, is on duty 24/7, which, all who are aspiring-to-be-presidents should be also. And we cannot question this kind of duty for we can see everywhere the success of her projects. So, instead of criticizing, why not try to look into the bright side of her term? With such, we can see that she is indeed very serious of becoming a President. And with such, it is pretty clear that she had done things that helped our country – Philippines.
guen valle // Aug 7, 2009 at 1:46 pm
at isa pa, e anu kung mg-run xa uli??
guen valle // Aug 7, 2009 at 1:48 pm
another, cnung presidente ng pilipinas (na naabutan nio) ang nkita niong maraming nagawa?? ung talagang ala kau m-comment??
hahai..
letz just support her..
tutal, lapit na xa bumaba..
nhold // Aug 10, 2009 at 12:00 pm
plastik… k guen…
parang wla p yta akong nkikitang mgandang infra naun d2 smin.. siguro s mga piling lugar lang n mhal ni gloria…
s tingin mu?.. ge lang.. ipaglaban mu p ang presidenteng wlang ginawa kundi mglakwatsa, mgaround d world.. at mgpacute,… rawr
jornalon // Aug 10, 2009 at 4:05 pm
MGA P[INOY TAKAGA KUNG ANU ANG MAKITA AT MAPAKINGGAN YUN NA ANG PANINIAWALAAN..sus..!!..
hoooy..
gising..!!.
tinatawagan kayu ni gloria na pakinggan nyu naman ang side na ginagawang nyang taMA.
hindi yun puru sumbat kayu sa mga side negative nya.
bat ny binoto xa kung gaganyanin nyo lang xa.?palibhasa majority na pinoy walang alam sa politika.
tenkyu po.
abueva manilyn // Aug 11, 2009 at 8:22 pm
naku..
cge sbihin nting majority wlang alam sa pulitika pro lahat as in LAHAT ng Pinoy, my nararamdaman tama b?
ung iba oo nararamdaman ang kasaganaan, ung iba hindi tama b?
ngaun, kung sasabihin nyong bkit p namin sya binoto. mali ka jornalon, d nmin sya binoto, ung iba lng..
tignan m kung cnu ang mas marami kung ung ym ayaw sa administrasyon ni PGMA o gsto.. kung mas marami ang my ayaw, ibig sbihin.. mali ang nging botohan, my nging kadayaan.
LOGIC at PAGIINTINDI lng sa mga tao ang dpat gwin upang malaman kung maganda pb ang gngawa ni GMA o kailangan n nyang bumaba..
oinkytoink // Aug 13, 2009 at 10:20 am
her SONA was the best!! kayong mga tao kayo, wala kayo alam kundi tignan ang mali ng kapwa niyo tao.. like what u’ve said na d nia sinabi ung kundisyon ng utang ng pilipinas, pwd mo po vah uliting pakinggan ang knyang SONA?? it was clearly stated there ang pgbaba ng percent ng utang.. and all was because of the taxes she implemented.. if i were you, i would just look at the good side of her administration rather than always reacting negatively at such..
un lng po.. “no hard feelings..” just plain opinion.
===> teka muna… nagbubulag bulagan ba kayo? simula 2001-2007, bumaba ang porsyentong inilaan ng gobyerno sa edukasyon at itinaas ang budget sa pambayad ng utang natin at (get this) sa military. eh ano ngayon kung bumaba ang utang natin sa US? un lang ba dapat ang kailangang tugunan ng pansin ng presidente? ang dami daming naghihirap sa bansa natin at ang iniisip lang niyo lang ay “atleast bumaba ang utang natin”.
Bakit hindi nila singilin ang marcoses? ung winaldas ni Romualdez sa lavish dinner nila ng ating magandang presidente in NY…. bka nakalimutan niyong galing sa bulsa ng mga nanay at tatay natin iyan nung panahon ni Marcos. eh atleast, nung panahon ni Marcos, naging tiger economy naman ang Pilipinas. Eh ngayon? Tiger economy pa ba tayo? kung dati, mas mayaman pa tayo sa Singapore at Malaysia, ngayon? I dunno. you decide.
o… so can you blame us for criticizing the arroyo regime?
cge, maganda nga ang speech ni GMA. may katotohanan ba yun?
yeah, given na marami nang presidente ang dumaan na maraming nagawang indiscretions, bakit, nung panahon nila, twice ba ang naging bilang ng political killings compared to that of marcos? my god. listen to yourself!
at FYI, sa mga nagsasabing bakit kami nagrereact ng ganito eh binoto naman namin siya… baka nakalimutan niyo na ung about sa “Hello Garci” scandal.
(no hard feelings din. opinion ko lang din po.)
oinkytoink // Aug 13, 2009 at 10:27 am
ibig sabihin din ba, payag kayong lapastangin pa ng husto ng mga imperyalistang banyaga ang ating mga natural resources, government institutions, atbp.?
kapag na implemente ang CHACHA, isa sa mga provisions nito ay 100% ownership of government lands, institutions and national resources sa mga foreign investors. and when that time comes, wala nang libreng pagamutan. wala nang libre o murang edukasyon para sa mga kabataan dahil ma cocommercialize na ang lahat ng institutions na ay dapat libre specially sa mga hindi makakaafford.
so, sa tingin mo, worthy pa ba siya sa mga half-hearted papuri niyo sa kanya? oo, reklamo kami ng reklamo. eh magrereklamo ba kami kung wala kaming nakikitang mali sa kanyang pamumuno? ang mas naa-outweight ng kanyang mga katiwalian ang mga kapiranggot niyang kontribusyon sa ating bansa?
oo, presidente lang siya, hindi Diyos. pero kung mamumuno man siya ng bansa, gawin niyang tama.
heidi // Aug 14, 2009 at 4:48 pm
good day,,,magrereact lng pouh sa cnabi ni guen….pano nyo pouh nasabing ndi karapatdapat c fpj ganung ndi p naman natin alam kung anong abilidad nya….cnabi nyo puoh vah un dahil sa educational background nya at dahil sa wala xang alam sa pulitika but sa pelikula???binuto xa ng iba ndi dahil sa kasikatan nya but dahil sa eskandalo na kinasangkutan ng presidente…
tama kang sabihin na dapat tingnan ang positive sides ni pgma…marami rin naman xanag na accomplish…pero naman..ndi lahat nabiyayaan ng kabutihan ni pgma…so expect na maraming babatikus sa kanya…
mganda ung sona nya but i hop na tama lhat ung sinabi nya…
ang mas mabuti nalang sigurong gawin ay mag-icp tayong mga pilipino kung anong mabuti nating gawin para sa ikauunlad ng ating bansa sa paraang tama at simple…okey lang bumatikos atleast aware sila sa kanilang mga mali but tulungan rin natin sila para ndi sila magkamali…salamat
heidi // Aug 14, 2009 at 4:56 pm
good day..
actually..ndi ako pabor sa chacha but kung ayaw nating ng chacha…sa tingin ko dapat makontento ytayo sa sistema meron ang gobyerno natin…
kung matuloy ang charter change..sana ay maminimized na ang mga pamilyang nakakarnas ng kahirapan…maganda naman ang hangarin ng chacha but sana marealized nito ung goals and objectives…
kung ndi matuloy,,… im hoping na sa mga susunod na uupo sa pwesto,,,eh…may pagbabagong mangyayari sa takbo ng pultika….
JANE // Aug 17, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Gud day po sa inyong lahat.
What i think d best thing we cud do for our country is to PRAY for the healing and PRAY 4 the change.
our arguments here will do NO GOOD for our nation.
THANK YOU and GOD BLESS.
guen valle // Aug 18, 2009 at 8:11 pm
d ka nmn maghihirap f u think of ways pra d ka mghirap.
d ka nmn magugutom f mghahanap ka ng makukunan ng pagkain.
sa natingnan ko sa mga balita, pati nga ung global warming at ung mga lugar na binabaha e sinisisi pa ke PGMA.
char..
think of the good side.
try nio sumunod, dba ok ang run ng situation.
at isa pa, ala nmng administration na ok ah.. khit b4 dba, mas ok lng sa knya now kc dami xa ngawa.
nsabi mu lng na d ka n-ambunan kc u always see d bad side of the situation.
hahahahaha!!
tc.. XD
guen valle // Aug 21, 2009 at 12:43 pm
abueva manilyn: kaya mo poh vah na wag na ulit gawin ang mga maling bagay na nagawa mo?
hmmm…
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