Sona, Contra Sona, Sana
They call it by different names. Here in the Philippines, it is called State of the Nation Address or Sona for short. In the US, it is State of the Union. In Great Britain, it is called Speech from the Throne or The Queen’s (of King’s) Speech. It is Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands. There is no equivalent name in Japan but the speech, likewise, is delivered during the first session of Parliament.
Local chief executives have also come up with their own versions since 1988. So it is common for us to now read or hear about the State of the Province Address (Sopa), State of the City Address (Soca), State of the Municipality Address (Soma). I am not sure if there is an equivalent for the Barangays or Soba.
The day after the Sona, the political opposition in Congress, as represented by the minority floor leader, delivers what has come to be known as Contra Sona. The opposition calls this speech “The True State of the Nation.” Unlike the well-attended Sona, with all its media hype, the Contra Sona is usually delivered before a half-empty assembly, while most legislators -- be they pro-administration or opposition -- are having coffee at the South Lounge.
President Fidel V. Ramos, who during his own term delivered six Sonas, jokingly refers to an imaginary speech. It is a people’s wish list of items which should have been included, but were not, in a Sona. FVR calls it Sana.
Both in the Philippines and in the US, the practice is based on a constitutional mandate which requires the chief executive to inform Congress of the state of the nation and to recommend such measures as may be necessary and expedient.
Since the time of President Quezon, every Philippine president personally appeared every year before Congress to deliver his message. The only exception occurred in 1950 when President Quirino, who was then recuperating from an illness, delivered his Sona via radio from his hospital bed in the United States.
Outside, militant groups, year in and year out, make a show of marching with clenched fists towards the Batasan only to be stopped (“harassed” according to the militants) by the police. But in last year’s Sona, they, instead of staging a “kilos protesta,” held a “kilos suporta.” That was then when the honeymoon between President Duterte with the leftists was in effect.
In Great Britain, it is the Queen who reads a speech prepared by the prime minister. It is called Speech from the Throne. The speech is delivered during the State Opening of Parliament -- an occasion marked by pageantry steeped in British tradition.
The State Opening of Parliament was based on tradition which dates back to the early 14th century. Unlike here in the Philippines, where every single applause is tallied and duly reported by the media, the Queen’s speech is met with dignified silence, with the attendees neither applauding nor showing dissent. The Queen, for her part, reads the speech in a neutral, almost monotonous tone.--