SONA views

Pever

eople from all walks of life have some different views when

the President of the Republic delivers his or her State of the Nation Address or SONA. The reporting is a constitutional duty of the highest chief executive of the land to update the public on the current and various status of the country in terms of economics, politics, peace and order, among many others.

The very recent SONA is the most different so far considering that we are facing a global health crisis, the Corona Virus Disease 2019 pandemic and as a precautionary measure against being infected with the virus, social distancing, the use of face masks and the avoidance to crowds is strictly enforced.

The previous SONAs are characterized by the attendance of elected and appointed government officials in the national and local governments, the foreign ambassadors and other diplomats in the country, the high-ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police and other very important guests who witnessed the President’s reporting to the people.

Such attendees to the SONA are well-dressed in their most formal and glamorous attires that seemed to look like an awarding of the Oscars in the United States where people in the movie industry are awarded with prestigious citations and r ecogni t i ons.

What I like most about the 5th SONA of the President is his appreciation to the different pandemic and Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) front liners who had either lost or risked their lives so that others may live. The front liners were made the superstars of the SONA because of their sacrifices and it’s a fitting tribute for them.

It is but proper that the President has lauded all those who worked hard against the spread of the virus despite the fact that it is still extant and the war against it is yet to end. Regardless of the nature of their jobs, they are the present day heroes who have etched their names in history.

Another important part of the statements of the President is his call for the improvement of services of telecommunication companies who might even face closures if the things they provide would not improve.

At the height of the ECQ, many saw the importance of the internet in terms of information gathering and reporting. We saw how people can communicate while we are still in a “nocontact” mode of interaction. The President’s call is very timely considering the start of on-line classes or blended learning activities are about to start next month.

On the negative side of the SONA, the issues on the “oligarchs” and the push for the re-imposition of the death penalty earned some criticisms for their being untimely and uncalled for in this time of the pandemic. Netizens were quick to react that we should not talk all about these while the more serious problem on the pandemic still exists.

Other highlights of the SONA were the usual reports of accomplishments of the executive branch which seemed to be self-graded. Imagine a student writing his own grades on the school report card and presenting it to his parents. With the self-assessment of the accomplishments of the President, of course all have the passing grade.

For the allies of the present administration, it’s all praises. On the other hand, it’s all tirades, criticisms and ridicules for the detractors of President Rodrigo Duterte.

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