First SONA of President Noy : Flaming & Blazing Volley of Sordid Facts

The sound bite of President Noy’s ( P-Noy) first State of the Nation Address (SONA) was certainly as vernacular as could be as he spoke in a lingua franca close to the heart of millions of Filipinos. It dawned on me, though, that as one of those “miseducated” in the English language, I was more comfortable reviewing the SONA in the English version. Pundits and politicians described the first P-Noy SONA as: Flamboyant, very inductive, all about facts but no vision, consistently anti-corrupt, very much like his father Senator Ninoy, confident and exuberant, direct, devoid of rhetoric, conversational, simple and meaningful, description of our problems in clear language, etc.

Some were quick to enumerate what were missing in the SONA like the welfare of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) which are found in close to two hundred countries in the world, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) funds issues, agrarian reform, debt servicing, no mention of Freedom of Information Bill, and that there was no new creative articulation of the nuance and framing of the peace issues in Mindanao. But, I agree with what Senator Pia Cayatano said that we should respect the presidential style and prerogative for now, at least.   

Yes, it was inductive because the speech started out with very controversial facts about the way some of our agencies have handled funds & programs and then the SONA ends with proposed solutions. Many think, though, that the proposed solutions are puny and simplistic compared to the grave problems presented. Anyway, these agencies that were put on the spot for alleged mismanagement were the Metropolitan Water & Sewerage System (MWSS), National Power Corporation (Napocor), Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the National Food Authority (NFA). Manila was waterless for days and so I am sure that the revelations that top honchos of MWSS received bonuses allegedly worth about thirty (30) months were not lost on the urban poor of Manila. Or that these MWSS officials have allegedly awarded themselves with hefty bonuses while being in arrears for the pensions of their own retired employees. If this is true, this is a case of perceived deprivation of due benefits and entitlements. Others feared that because top honchos know the law all these could be justified legally. Well, as we always say, what is legal is not always moral. One thing sure, all these will help in crafting new legislations and in the creation of new oversight functions by Congress for these agencies. 

P-Noy hinted to please not give his cabinet policy team a rough time at the Commission on Appointments so that as he says “the best of us will not hesitate to be public servants.” The Commission on Appointments is an administrative body composed of legislators and is a mechanism for checks and balances and thus it is a powerful limitation on the presidential prerogative. 

P- Noy has outlined to Congress his priority policies and bills, namely: zero based approach to budget to open up all items in the budget to question, Fiscal Responsibility bill to limit legislations to bills with sources of funding since we have many existing legislations which cannot be implemented for lack of funds, Anti-Trust Law for integrity in our corporate businesses.

My favorite which our Alternative Law Group (ALG) network is promoting and that is the National Land Use plan, amendment of the archaic National Defense Act, protection of the witnesses under both the Whistleblower bill and the Witness Protection Program. 

To sum up in a few words the SONA which is very consistent with P-Noy’s election platform and promises wishes to promote integrity and good governance in the bureaucracy towards a good life and abundance for the Filipino. And so, the Filipino is exhorted by P-Noy to dream again.