July 24, 2006 · Posted in: Governance, In the News, SONA
Rains start SONA day
AS President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo prepares for what Malacañang says will not be a “rhetorical” State of the Nation Address this afternoon, heavy rains brought by a strong typhoon threaten to dampen anti-government protests set to coincide with the president’s speech.
Protest leaders, however, vow that not even a storm will stop them from marching to the area surrounding the Batasan congressional complex in Quezon City.
Typhoon Glenda was located at dawn about 230 kms east of Basco, Batanes, with winds moving at 150 kph. Authorities suspended classes in all levels, as well as work in government offices, in the National Capital Region and areas affected by the typhoon. Only those working with protective and health agencies will report for work.
The police contingent for this afternoon’s affair, the opening of the 3rd regular session of the 13th Congress, numbers 16,000. It is the biggest number ever to be deployed for a SONA.
The President’s speech, according to Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, “will be about what people want: a clear economic direction for the nation and a plan detailing on how we are going to get there.”
Bunye said “the President knows that there is no magic wand or silver bullet that will make all our woes go away. She knows, as do the people, that you must get up everyday and work hard to make progress. That is what the people do; that is what the President does. As such, the President will focus on the bread and butter issues that are of greatest concern to the nation.”
He said Mrs. Arroyo “is also likely to paint a picture of the Philippines as a country focused on fixing problems and eliminating poverty.”
Malacañang says three “ordinary people” have been invited as Mrs. Arroyo’s special guests this afternoon.
Last year’s SONA was the occasion for Mrs. Arroyo’s declaration of her administration’s urgent call for a shift to a parliamentary system of government. (Watch a webcast of that speech.) Coming over a month after the “Hello, Garci” controversy broke out, the President told Congress that the political system had become a hindrance to economic growth and that it needed to be changed.
The public was then treated to images of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. triumphantly applauding Mrs. Arroyo’s speech, while Senate President Franklin Drilon stoically sat, hands clasped together on his lap.
1 Response to Rains start SONA day
christian1968
July 24th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
It was indeed a rainy-day SONA. The difference was last year’s SONA was greeted by sunny and clear skies.
And there’s another difference. The absence of pro-Gloria NGO’s.
This is now the big question to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her administration for this year’s State-of-the-Nation-Address, and most probably in other major political events in the future.
In 2004, the pro-GMA organizations were very visible during the campaign. In fact, a nationwide caravan punctuated by a big rally at Liwasang Bonifacio highlighted the NGO’s campaign for President Arroyo’s candidacy. When President Arroyo delivered the 2004 SONA, the NGO’s were inside the galleries of Congress and in the streets to support her.
In 2005, during the height of the political crisis confronting her administration, civil society leaders and members again came in droves in front of Sandiganbayan to support President Arroyo’s SONA.
The pro-GMA NGO’s were also there during the 2005 impeachment process at the House of Representatives. In fact, they spent countless days and nights at the galleries of Congress and in the streets exchanging hoots and catcalls with leaders and members of anti-government organizations.
During the failed coup d’ etat of February 2006, NGO’s leaders were all over major television stations expressing support to the administration and condemning the attempted power grab.
This SONA, however, the NGO’s supporting President Arroyo were nowhere to be found. The so-called pro-government rally along Commonwealth Avenue was a dismal failure and was obviously composed of hakot crowds from nearby barangays like Payatas, Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills. When interviewed, most of them admitted to being paid twenty-five pesos to fifty pesos (P25-P50) each, and 90% of them do not really support the administration and in fact voted for another candidate during the 2004 presidential elections.
So where are the pro-GMA NGO’s?
Could be it that the leaders are now reassessing their stand on various issues confronting President Arroyo and her administration? Could it be that they are distancing themselves from a President whose popularity has not improved? Could this be a signal that they are now ready to join the opposition?
President Arroyo may have delivered a good SONA as gleamed from the numerous applauses that punctuated her speech. But without civil society support, her programs will only be adjudged as elitists and anti-poor.
“Panahon nang ibalik ang kapangyarihan taumbayan,” she declared. But where are the people? Where are the civil society organizations? She seems to have totally forgotten about them.