There’s something off-turning about President Noynoy’s SONA
last July 28. It’s normal for—and
indeed expected of—any president to report on his or her administration’s
accomplishments and plans for the future.
But this SONA to me bears the odor of deceit—not Noynoy’s deceit (for we
are willing to give any president the benefit of the doubt), not the
speechwriters’ either (for it is their job to choose and prettify facts to
present for this purpose) but the kind of deceit that is so veiled in beauty
that it can derail a nation’s pursuit of truth.
Fine, Noynoy presented a glowing roster of achievements,
backed by figures and testimonies of contented citizens, but we should not
forget that whatever is stated in any SONA may not necessarily be the whole
truth. It is the president’s
truth, his cabinet’s truth, his administration’s truth, his family’s truth, the
truth according to his Kaeskwelas, Kabarilans and Ka-whatever-is-the-next-K—but
no matter how many “truths” a SONA dishes out, they are still fractions of the
whole truth and as such must be subjected to scrutiny.
More important than what Noynoy said in his latest SONA is
what he left unsaid—about the issues that people deserve to be elucidated on
but which his “achievement report” attempted to cover up—foremost of which are
the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) and the FOI (Freedom of Information
bill). No mean thanks to Noynoy
and his speechwriters who are masters at evading issues, his 90-minute speech
was punctuated by 85 rounds of applause.
If people watching him on television applauded with the audience in the
hall instead of talking back to Noynoy’s image (as I did), then woe is me!
Mr. President, the issue is not just where the funds went or
that a lot of people benefitted from them, but WHY you spent them without
Congress’ approval, WHY the fact of the DAP was concealed until its disclosure
could no longer be helped, WHY you insist on your innocence and righteousness despite
a 13-0 vote declaring it unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This is not just a squabble among
siblings, Noynoy: you are President, you are supposed to lead, you are on top
of the senators and congressmen accused in the PDAF mess—if Tatay defies authority
and steals, cheats and lies, why shouldn’t Kuya and Ate do the same? Do you realize how your defiance of the
Supreme Court ruling may affect the youth today, future public servants? What if the DAP had never been
exposed? Who could say for certain
that those billions would not be used up to curry favor with forces inimical to
Filipino interests, or to build up your friends and annihilate your
enemies? Of course, since the DAP
was uncovered by Senator Jinggoy—who incidentally is now gagged and de-winged—your
party had no choice but to say the money was spent on the good, but then again,
whose good? Are the Filipinos
given access to information to verify your facts and validate your claims?
Despite its claims of uprightness, honorableness and
respectability, this administration has no intention of showing its hand to the
people. The fast-tracking of the
FOI bill—promised by Noynoy in his campaign—wasn’t even touched by the SONA. The day after the SONA it was reported
that being Number 18 in the President’s priority bills, it would surely be
approved in time for the next administration to implement it. Did this convince you of Noynoy camp’s
sincerity or did this make you think they really want their activities kept
secret, until the 2016 elections are over?
Noynoy has sort of made a presidential trademark of his
tirades. From the start he has
been known to publicly humiliate his perceived enemies of the “tuwid na daan”,
and while in his latest SONA he still couldn’t help blaming the past administrations
and congratulating his own, he didn’t insult anyone this time. That trait, even though disguised in
righteousness, has cheapened him in the eyes of those who know what a statesman
is; it made Noynoy look and sound like a “kanto boy” provoking street
fights. But last July 28, when we
were wearily expecting more of the same punches, this “butangero” cried
instead. Gosh, the president cried?
Yes! And the headlines soon
after dripped with presidential tears—it was an “emotional moment” for the
leader of the land. His fans and
cheerleaders (paging Kris A, Abigail V, and Sonny B) were of course quick to
the draw and painted a pathetic figure of a head of state so human and humble,
buckling down from the weight of his critics’ condemnation. Poor little Noynoy, despite his good
works critics lashed at him; in pain he digressed from the prepared speech and
“spoke from the heart.”
It was sickening to hear some otherwise hardboiled radio and
tv commentators soon cooing over the president’s tears, as though he deserved
to be hugged and comforted on account of his woes. That’s what’s funny about us Pinoys. Really vital issues do no get resolved
in our country because we are easily distracted by side issues—this time
costumed in tears. We have “pusong
mamon”—our heart readily bleeds in sympathy when we see tears—nakukuha tayo sa luha. We love melodrama—don’t we see that
in the movies and tv shows we love to follow? But melodrama shouldn’t suffice when what’s at stake is the
Constitution. I suspect that
Noynoy was sincere, that is, sincerely misguided and was carried away by the
“truths” he was reporting—and so in self-pity he cried.
Humble? He was
advised before his SONA “not to gloat”.
He was smart enough to heed that advice. But humility is a virtue tested by fire, it’s not manifested
once and for all! With the threat
of impeachment gathering momentum, he had better be humble! With a popularity rating plunging on
account of his defiance, he would be foolish not to retreat. His characteristic arrogance and
self-righteousness would prove fatal in the face of a Supreme Court that’s
intensely defending the Constitution.
Is this show of Noynoy’s “transformation” for keeps? I doubt it. How can I trust a president that defies the Supreme Court
and rallies the people to wear yellow to support him? I have never seen President Noynoy wear a Philippine flag
pin on his chest—only that silly yellow ribbon. I put no premium on sloganeering and flattery as a
substitute for an administration’s sincerity. “Kayo ang boss ko.”
“The Filipino is worth fighting for.” That only works in showbiz, not in running the state. The more those slogans are repeated,
the more fake they sound—because of the absence of solid evidence to the
contrary. Up to now, Noynoy’s
minions are still campaigning to “revive the yellow fever” and the presidential
sister’s tv show is both the standard bearer and launching pad for this
divisive endeavor.
It seems that for this president, the country ought to be
divided into two camps: those who
are with him are clean, upright, and care about the Filipino; those who are not
with him are corrupt and take advantage of poor. To sort of prove his sincerity, Noynoy mentioned religious
leaders towards the end of his SONA, among them Catholics, who he said would
continue what he started (“Itutuloy nila
ang atin pong sinimulan.”)
Huh? Hello? Come again? Citing names of a Cardinal, respected Church people and
cloistered nuns as though he had assigned them to be his successors? Noynoy, anak, with or without you, they have done, are doing, and will do
what is right. Before, during, and
after you—they do what is right, because that is what God has ordained them to
do. You are not their God. And that’s the truth.
