By: Bennie A. Recebido
SORSOGON CITY, July 24 – President Benigno
Aquino III’s longest ever SONA on Monday, June 23, which lasted for almost one
and a half hour, drew more praises and positive feedback from majority of the
Sorsoganons compared to his previous SONAs, as monitored from various local
media outlets and as stated by some bystanders here. And again, the use of the
national language made his SONA appreciated by common Filipinos.
“The SONA presentation was made simple yet
comprehensible,” said Connie Llanete, a carenderia owner here.
In an informal interview with some tricycle
drivers, sidewalk vendors, college students as well as private and government workers,
they did not hide their conviction over the achievements the President has
presented saying Sorsoganons who belong to the marginalized sector now really
feel that the government is taking good care of them citing the ‘Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’
(Conditional Cash Transfer Program), the universal Philhealth benefits, as well
as scholarships and other educational benefits presently enjoyed by the
beneficiaries.
The fight against corruption swayed many
Sorsoganons and likewise, appreciated the President’s value for convergence and
“bayanihan” system as a tool towards achieving good governance.
Touching on the Philippines-China dispute,
many were convinced about President Aquino’s stand. “He is bullying a brave front
over the China issue, and that is a good move,” said an employee of a private
company here who doesn’t want his name to be revealed.
“Crediting to Filipinos the
administration’s achievements for the past one year is in no doubt an
indication that the President is sincere in saying “Kayo ang Boss ko” (“You are my boss.”),” some others also said.
But still, just as the saying goes, “you
cannot please anyone”, there are still those who found the SONA lacking in
merit.
According to one media commentator here,
though the President elaborated credit rating upgrades, high stock market
record, higher growth of domestic product than projected, still the President
failed to state the current situation of the country.
“I may, perhaps, have a different
perspective of what SONA is, but given all the achievements and future plans of
the President, he should have also presented the current status of the country,
whether it has been elevated from a particular rank to another rank
specifically in terms of poverty and/or economic indices,” he said.
Another media practitioner said that the
impressive statistics presented are just but all parts of a political gambit.
Also, according to a few, modernization of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is a lofty dream. But, they are still
open to the possibility of attaining this dream saying nothing is wrong in
dreaming loftily, trusting the President’s “those impossible may be made
possible.”
And to one non-government worker who looked
at modernization effort positively, said that procurement of equipment of the
Philippine National Police (PNP) and modernization of the AFP show how the
President value the life of our uniformed men coming up an effective strategy
to make sure these men can still go back to their family intact and alive after
every response to the call of duty.
Meanwhile, surprising to most Sorsoganons,
militant groups here who were expected to air out sentiments through march
rally and demonstrations during the President’s SONA were quiet and were not
seen dispersed doing any activity at the city’s identified protester’s area and
even along main thoroughfares.
Some media reports, however, disclosed that
a number of members of the militant groups here went to some parts in Bicol
region and in Manila to join bigger activities there while about one or two
persons quietly displayed some placards and streamers at the shoulder of Alice
Bridge in Magsaysay St., Sorsogon City. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)
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