P-Noy SONA vs PGMA SONA

The most notable difference in the SONA delivered by PGMA and P-Noy is the language that was used. PGMA used Taglish but most of it was in English while P-Noy used entirely Tagalog. Though it was not really original because former President Erap was the first one to do it during his inauguration, I still liked the idea of P-Noy using Tagalog. I have two major reasons for such.

First, the president is addressing the Filipinos and not really the international community. I had an impression in the past administration of PGMA that she was trying to impress the foreign community rather than trying to enlighten and to inform the Filipino people, especially the poor. It was as if the president was trying to get the approval of the foreign community rather than trying to get the cooperation of Filipino people, again especially the poor. Undeniably, a State of the Nation Address written and delivered in Tagalog language will be able to inform and empower the Filipino people as compared to an English one. And my second reason is that there are some things simply better said in Filipino or other local dialects. During or after PGMA has delivered her SONA, I would hear in the news that Filipinos are complaining because they didn’t understand the entire speech, which shouldn’t be the case. Every Filipino must understand it fully. How can the Filipinos help in the country’s progress if first and foremost they doesn’t know the president’s agenda and how they can aid on them? Yes, the Filipinos are commended, across the globe, for speaking good English but that is that enough reason for the president not to use Tagalog.

Upon reading the past SONA of PGMA I noticed that she was able to mention a lot of development and progress that will or that has happened to the country. These include a strong and free economy, doubled tourism industry, strong government bureaucracy and a lot of infrastructures and I mean a lot. These infrastructures include housing, roads, bridges and more. I was really disappointed with PGMA’s SONA. It was not fully honest and empowering. I guess the various controversies had affected the State of the Nation. But was the Address given by PGMA really the “true” State of the Nation?

P-Noy’s SONA in contrast with PGMA is very tact and honest. For me, he was really able to present the “true” State of the Nation yet he lacked solutions to these problems. There were also various issues that were not presented such as the relations of the country with other State and with IO’s such as the UN, the Hacienda Luisita issue and the governments plan or policies in addressing climate change and other environmental issues. Well, since the SONA was fully delivered in Tagalog, it was an indication that P-Noy wanted to focus on the domestic sphere of development. And I believe that in his last SONA he will be able to present developments but I think that he will not be able to solve all of the problems confronting the country. It was said, 6 years is too short for a good President but too long for a bad one. One thing that I must say, I have hope with the current administration and I was totally empowered. God bless the Philippines.