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.