Lawmakers find Aquino's first SONA lacking

Lawmakers on Monday gave mixed reactions on President Benigno Aquino’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA), with a lot of them saying the speech failed to tackle vital government priorities. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, for one, likened Aquino’s SONA to a “complaint sheet" loaded with “motherhood statements." “Itong kanyang pinagsasabi kanina (What he said earlier), it’s like a complaint sheet," Lagman told reporters in an interview. “What we got was a compendium of motherhood statements, it should not be delivered here in Congress, it should be referred to the prosecutors." Similarly, Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong said the speech, which was applauded 32 times, was a “litany of attacks" against the Arroyo administration. In his 36-minute speech, Aquino said the country has a budget deficit of P196.7 billion because of several anomalies during the nine-year rule of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Senator Loren Legarda — the running-mate of unsuccessful presidential hopeful Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. — said she was expecting Aquino to tackle hunger, water shortage, climate change, and unemployment, among others. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said he would have wanted Aquino to address the health care system and minimum wage problem. “Sana po nabanggit niya yung mimimum wage dahil hirap na hirap po ang ating manggagawa (I wish he had mentioned something about minimum wage because our workers are really suffering)," he said. Senator Pia Cayetano advised Aquino to focus on the Millennium Development Goals to help him address issues that should be his priority. She said this includes providing education for all, ending poverty, and creating a sustainable environment. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño questioned Aquino’s failure to mention the issues on agrarian reform, debt relief, new taxes, and even the Freedom of Information Act. “If the objective is really to be the opposite of [former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo], this was a very weak presentation. Hindi ko makita yung sinasabing pagbabago (I didn’t see the improvement)," he said. Camarines Sur Rep Diosdado “Dato" Arroyo, son of Mrs. Arroyo, defended his mother, saying the figures Aquino used in his SONA were “inconsistent."
“What’s new? Iyung mga paratang po, ilang taon na hanggang ngayon po ay wala pa pong ebidensiyang nailalabas ang maski sino. Sinasabi ng mga dating Cabinet officials, inconsistent ang figures," he said. (What’s new? Those were old allegations that have yet to be supported by evidence. As the former Cabinet officials said, the figures are inconsistent.) As expected, Aquino’s allies in the Liberal Party were on his side. “Ang magandang mensahe niya ay sa kabutihan ng lahat ng tao. Pati maliliit ay maiangat at magkaroon ng pagkakataon ang mahirap na tao dito sa ating bayan. Nagsabi lang siya ng katotohanan kaya hindi ko masabi na hindi tama, tama yun," said former Senate President Jovito Salonga, LP’s chairman emeritus. (He sent a good message, and that message is that even the ordinary Filipino will have a chance to improve his life under his administration. What he said was the truth.) Another LP member, Sen. Franklin Drilon, described the SONA as “realistic" and “down to earth." Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Edgardo Angara likewise praised Aquino’s SONA as they promised to support his legislative agenda. Even former Philippine presidents had mixed reactions on Aquino’s SONA. Joseph Estrada believed the agenda set by Aquino were doable, while Fidel V. Ramos said he would have wanted the incumbent state leader to state his road map in the next six years. “Saan ang tungo ng ating republika para sa mga OFWs, kabataan, mahihirap (Where is our country heading to as far as overseas workers, the youth and poor families are concerned)? Do we get quality basic education finally under this administration?" he said. Mrs. Arroyo, meanwhile, flew to Hong Kong hours before the SONA. - KBK, GMANews.TV