Monday, July 28, 2008

SONA 2008

RP -- At around 4:00 this afternoon, President Gloria M. Arroyo in a handwoven pink gown made from fabric and fiber, delivered her eighth SONA before the Filipino people. In contrast, the traditional People's SONA which has been described as the real representation of Juan dela Cruz' grievances was held once again to counter-attack the predicted "another bunch of sweet promises, wrong labeling of progress and deceiving remarks." Pulse and SWS surveys show the ever-declining popularity ratings of the female president for the past years of governance. The latest SONA of the president focused entirely on measures and programs for the poor.

As expected, President's SONA reported the accomplished task from the previous presidential term, notable turning points in her administration and of course, promises for the next two years. It can be noted as well, that this is the first time, Mrs. Arroyo was welcomed by Prospero Nograles as the Speaker of the House. A pro-poor legislation, on the one hand, was prepared by the latter.

In 2007, the so-called human props of the president were used for people to visualize the worth of her supposed impressive report card to the public. Today, new human props were utilized again -- F. Alvarez (driver), R. Berdin (child hero), Sec. A. Yap (DA), E. Bandila (farmer), a chieftain/mayor who wore bahag, A. Amanse and many more.

Meanwhile, six representatives, 7 senators and former president Joseph Estrada did not attend this joint session of Congress. Other opinions dwell on the reason that this is again, a fairytale story.

These were the MAJOR points underscored in this period she describes as "the crucial moment in history":
  • global crisis as the reason for the roller coaster feature of primary needs and commodities (for others, this has been a convenient excuse of Mrs. Arroyo); strive greater to attain self-reliance
  • pay down outside debts, invest in our people and infrastructure, enough fund for pro-people programs; SSS and GSIS loans
  • relevance of VAT and its allocation; removal of income tax for less than P200,000.00 earners, micro finance loans
  • agricultural developments through irrigations, farm land grants, among others; school-building programs; resource mobilization, economically-viable operations, clustering programs
  • anti-graft fund and pantawid-pamilya program
  • her wish for a consumers' bill of rights
  • cash-for-work programs, OYSTER
  • lowered text messaging cost from P1 to P0.50; lowering the price of commercial rice; widening fiscal reforms
  • feed the people now, not later
  • updates on RORO, fish ports and the nautical high-way
  • calamity budget, nature laws (biofuel, forestry, waters, etc.)
  • the use of Jathropa to combat energy crisis
There were early criticisms with regard to her latest speech -- her unheard report on Super Regions and rebuttal to her involvement to corruption scandals. Mrs. Arroyo's SONA lasted for an hour, with more or less hundred claps and very few standing ovations. She gave credits to her colleagues in both legislative bodies (Senate and House of Representatives) and alternately thanked personalities who contributed much to her pursued proposals and schemes.

"To take away VAT is to strip off the people on their means to jive with the global crisis.", PGMA on the issue of VAT implementation. She reiterated that by imposing such measure, a huge trade-off has resulted -- that is her, spontaneously gaining negative popularity ratings. She also explained the current plight of peso against foreign currencies -- settling and pointing to that idea of global economic crisis.

PGMA's State of the Nation Address according to the Palace was a ten-page speech.

20 comments:

P O R S C H E said...

Tama ang komentaryo ni Bb. Korina Sanchez, nagmistulang awards/gala night ang SONA ng Pangulo dahil sa glamorosong paghahanda ng mga pulitiko sa kanilang susuotin.

Anonymous said...

Kapansin-pansin ang mas maikling SONA ngayon ng Pangulo kumpara sa nakaraang pito, marahil wala kasi siya masyadong maibalitang maganda sa publiko. Sayang hindi ako nakadalo sa tunay na SONA ng bayan.

I would have to give you credit for an up to beat write up for a national issue!

This is Hydee Lopez from TUP. Napadaan lang. A well rounded blog!:)

Anonymous said...

Bakit hindi natin umpisahan kung saan tayo nagsimula? Mula pa naman sa simula, may pag-aalinlangan na sa pagkapangulo ni GMA, hindi nakapagtataka kung bakit hindi makausad ang Pilpinas,kasi mismong sa namumuno hindi na tayo magkasundo.

Isa na naman itong litanya ng mga pangarap at kasinungalingan. Tsk Tsk.

Anonymous said...

Tama ang komentaryo ni Bb. Korina Sanchez, nagmistulang awards/gala night ang SONA ng Pangulo dahil sa glamorosong paghahanda ng mga pulitiko sa kanilang susuotin.

- pero, astig yung chieftain na nakapbahag ah..anyway, sa pagkakaalam ko, ayaw ng mga katutubo kay GMA, ano kayang nangyari at napapayag niya ang chieftain na yun? I doubt talaga na kusang sumama yun. E, napakarami pa ring kaso (sa katunayan sa termino niya ang napakarami) na mga kaso ng pagpatay, militarization at iba pa sa mga Natl Minorities.

Dun sa bandang nageexplain siya sa pag-aalis ng VAT, medyo nakita ko yung point niya, kaya lang kasi hindi naman nagagamit nang MATAPAT sa tao.. News that matters, good!:)

anyway, keote is my friend.

P O R S C H E said...

To Hydee Lopez:

Hi! Salamat sa pagdalaw sa aking blog! Hahaha.
"...marahil wala kasi siya masyadong maibalitang maganda sa publiko."
- Sumasang-ayon ako.

"I would have to give you credit for an up to beat write up for a national issue!" - Maraming Salamat!

P O R S C H E said...

To keote:

Maraming salamat sa pagbisita mo! Maaring ang punto mo ay punto rin ng mayoryang Pilipino. Bukas ang espasyong ito para sa inyo.

To Hugo:
Haha. Oo nga no? Astig nga siya. "E, napakarami pa ring kaso (sa katunayan sa termino niya ang napakarami) na mga kaso ng pagpatay, militarization at iba pa sa mga Natl Minorities." - sang-ayon akong ito ang isa sa magbabagang isyu hanggang sa mga susunod na linggo.

Doon sa explanation niya sa VAT, hmmm. ekonomista siya eh.:) Si keote, i see. Natutuwa ako at binibigyan mo ng pagkakataong ipakilala ang blog ko sa iba.

Anonymous said...

oo nga.. parang award's night. they even bothered to wear designer dresses.. tsk.. anyway, mababa ang popularity rating ni PGMA kasi di naman siya ngumingiti eh. hehe. hindi siya naka-smile sa mga pictures.. joke! joke! joke! yown.. dumadalaw lang.. =]

Railey! said...

Naku.. umarrribbba na naman si GMA sa mga human props niya...Tsk Tsk. Mas maikli kasi wala siyang masabing maganda puro corruption scandals.

Ano bang dignidad meron ang pangulo para gawin ito? Isa pa, bakit kailangang may ganon, kung talagang ramdam ng tao ang kahirapan? Samakatuwid, isang malaking gala night lamang ang naganap sa SONA! At si Sec. Yap, aba, may special mention.. hehehe.

Anonymous said...

di ko napanood yung SONA..

may klase kame sa skul eh..

haha..

well.. i just wish that this year would be better (although as of now, i don't think so..but still..)

P O R S C H E said...

To shermz:
"mababa ang popularity rating ni PGMA kasi di naman siya ngumingiti eh. hehe. hindi siya naka-smile sa mga pictures" -- Haha. This is funny! Connect daw ba..

To railey:
I agree. :)

To fionski:
Ang post na ito para ay para sa'yo kung hindi ka nakapanood.:)

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