2nd State of the Nation Address 2011

That the speech was in a language close to the hearts of the majority means that PNoy, the President of the Philippines & public servant wanted to communicate to every Filipino.

 And talking about language, yes every Filipino, who has had primary school and owns a television understands our Filipino language.

 So, let me recount the words in the speech that I will hold the President accountable for in the next year and beyond.

 The speech will be remembered for posterity for the vivid branding of the abuse of authority mindset as exemplified by the indiscriminate use of the siren or wangwang.
 Henceforth, corruption and the abuse of those in power and authority will now be called the wangwang mentality.

 The report about the drinking of the billion peso worth of coffee is the ultimate in abuse of entitlement in government and government owned & controlled corporations.

 I noted highlights in the State of the Nation Address that should matter and here is my rundown:

 Food security is couched in the goal of producing and buying rice here.

 The single digit unemployment rate of 8% last year is now down to 7.2% this year.
A million and close to half jobs were created this year.

 The word for environment was about trees and floods.
A stipend program for the safeguarding of trees while farmers are waiting for the harvest of coffee and cacao will be offered to informal settlers.
So, is this an offer for the urban poor to relocate to farms?

 As to revenue generation through taxes, that this government will be paying attention to tax evasion by doctors, lawyers and businessmen is an iconic gesture that should send a strong message to correctly establish the ideal relationship between the government and the citizen taxpayer.

 Mindanao was represented as an issue about ending the practice of command votes for political patrons. The sample proposed solution is synchronization of elections by letting the candidates in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) run during the regular elections with the rest of the country. And for this P-Noy thanked Congress that the law for the synchronization of ARMM with national elections was passed.

 The program of government for the incoming year is spelled out in the budget that P-Noy will send to Congress a day after the SONA.
 Since the SONA is for the opening of Congress session this year, our President thanked Congress “ for passing laws regarding the ff: 
GOCC Governance, ARMM Synchronization, Lifeline Electricity Rates Extension, Joint Congressional Power Commission Extension, Children and Infants’ Mandatory Immunization, and Women Night Workers.”

 The rundown of the Legislative agenda are the following:
 “ We aim to give due compensation to the victims of Martial Law;
 to grant our house help the salaries and benefits that they deserve;
and to improve the system that awards pensions to our retired soldiers.
"We likewise support the expansion of the scope of scholarships granted by DOST to outstanding yet underprivileged students; the advancement of universal quality healthcare; the responsible management of the environment; and the formation of facilities that will ensure the safety of our citizens during times of great need and calamity….
"Our agenda also includes the development of BuCor, NBI, NEA, and PTV 4, so that, instead of lagging behind the times, they will better fulfill their mandate of public service.”

 Some "bosses" (read as: citizens) said that foremost of what they missed was vision & direction.
What about this?
 Pres. Noy said:
 “ We are steering our government in a clear direction.
A country where opportunity is available; where those in need are helped; where everyone’s sacrifices are rewarded; and where those who do wrong are held accountable.”

 I count as vision the agenda to end the culture of corruption.
That the culture of corruption will start to end in this P-Noy presidency is a both a program and a vision.
 My favorite is that Pres Noy is asking as us to be a grateful nation and to cultivate a gesture of thankfulness to everyone that does us a good deed.