President Aquino Sixth Sona

An Analysis of the Sixth SONA of His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III

By: Arneil C. Chua

Summary

The Sixth SONA of President Aquino was delivered to the people using the Flipino dialect. Also, the theme of whole SONA was a “comparison” of the six (6) years of performance of the present administration versus the nine (9) years of performance of the previous administration. It was started with some formalities and greetings. The president made a short introduction saying  that more than five years have passed since he formally took oath, “Mahigit limang taon na ang lumilipas mula nang itinigil natin ang wang-wang, hindi lang sa kalsada, kundi sa buong lipunan; mula nang pormal tayong nanumpang labanan ang katiwalian upang masugpo ang kahirapan; at mula nang natuto muling mangarap ang Pilipino, ang atin pong mga boss. Mga Boss, ito ang kuwento ng ating paglalakbay sa Daang Matuwid.”

The president began his report by talking about the PPP or the Public-Private Partnership. He said that under the previous admistration it was very hard to get the private sectors participation, but now it seems as if these companies are the once courting the goverment to be able to participate. And the government is even paid premium just for these private sectors to be able to build infrastructures that our Philippine government need.

President Aquino  said “Talaga nga pong napakalayo na ng ating narating”.Then stated the situation when he came into office, that the Filipinos were no longer mindful of the bad things that are happening to the country. The president then critisized the false claims of the previous administration. From having enough classrooms because classes had to be held in four shifts. That it was claimed that we have “uninterrupted growth” only because significant portion of this growth was fueled by remittances from Filipinos who had lost hope in our country. The president also critisized the rampant corruption of the previous administration especially as the 2004 elections was approaching: the P700 million fertilizer scam, the NBN-ZTE scandal, the midnight appointments, the policy known as Calibrated Preemptive Response, the bloated debt of the National Food Authority from P12.3 billion pesos in 2001, to P176.8 billion in June 2010, the billion pesos PAGCOR coffee, the MWSS: excessive bonuses, one on top of the other, the attempt to waste P18 billion pesos for Laguna lake. Furthermore, he also critisized on the abuse of power to the extent of commiting murder like what happened to the Maguindanao massacre victims.

The president then told a short story with a supporting video presentation on how he accepted the challenge of the people, becoming a president, leading the people on  the “tuwid na daan” and hopefully staying there. And mentioning his battle cry “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap”.

President Aquino mentioned how his administration was able to clean the government’s bureaucracy from top to bottom through perseverance, courage, political will, and faith in God and in our fellowmen and then appointing thrustworhty, reliable and fearless leaders on key government positions.

He said that people are saying that we should move on, but the president was strong on his stand that the those who were accused of corruption must stand trial so that justice may be attained. Then will be the time to move on.

The president also mentioned the reforming of our institutions towards their true mandate. From the Government Owned and Controlled Corporations to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Thus, giving the government billions even a trillion pesos in savings and earnings. Emphasizing that his administration only needed five years to do it without imposing new taxes apart from Sin Tax Reform. And therefore said “ang resulta: kumpiyansa sa ating ekonomiya”, and he also mentioned that the Philippines now is even being labeled as “Asia’s Rising Tiger,” “Asia’s Rising Star,” and “Asia’s Bright Spot.”

President Aquino compared the net foreign direct investment in our country from $1.07 billion in 2010 and $6.2 billion in 2014 saying this is the highest ever recorded in our entire history. Also, he said, the numbers for domestic investments are likewise impressive, which means Filipinos are betting on their fellow Filipinos.

He said that even with the increasing number of new entrants to the labor force, overseas Filipino workers going home and previously unemployed Filipinos, our unemployment rate still dropped to 6.8 percent in 2014. And he reiterated that these are permanent jobs and not just for show.

The principle behind our strategy of governance, President Aquino said, was “Sa halip na bigyan ang kapwa ng isda, turuan siyang mangisda”. This is where the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) comes in for this purpose. He mentioned that this program have been expanded and is now benifiting 4.4million households. The president emphasized that in exchange for assistance, the primary focus of beneficiaries must be the education of their children. Thus, today, out of school youths have greatly decreased.

The president then said that the 4Ps together with the Alternative Learning System is a long term plan and is not a magic pill that will immediately bare results after taking it in. He also made his stand on the importance of the K to 12 as a practical method of phasing the student’s learning process. Also, this method was designed so that when the student finishes his/her studies, he/she has already a practical working skill.  And for the OFWs whose credentials have already been questioned to again gain competency internationally.

In the sector of education, the president said that his administration is making sure that the deficits of the past are erased and the needs of the present are addressed, even as we preparing for the future. He mentioned that the backlogs on lacking of classrooms, chairs, textbooks and teachers are being addressed and will be eliminated in the future with the help of the LGUs and the budget appoval of the legislators.

President Aquino stated that if the student wishes to pursue technical vocation, the Technical Vocational Education and Training is ready for them and is being overseen by TESDA with its  Training for Work Scholarship Program.

On the sector of health, the president mentioned that the number  benificiaries have increased to 89.4 million Filipinos in June of 2015, this is almost a double from the previous administration that he also allegedly stated that is only giving these benifits during elections. In addition, President Aquino also said that in 2014, from giving free treatment in public hospitals to the poorest 20 percent of the population in 2012, it will be expanded to the poorest 40 percent.

The president then stated many accomplishments: The Cadastral Survey was done for identifying land boundaries started in 1913,took almost a century  but is now complete; the Sitio Electrification Program giving electricity to allfar-flung and isolated areas; in the sector of aviation, category status upgraded, international ban lifted safety concerns addressed; in seafaring, threat to no longer recognizing Philippine maritime education certificates was addressed and is now compliant to the standards; but the president also mentioned that despite the accomplishments in transportation, MRT remains a very big challenge long term plans and not making shortcuts will be the strategy.