The lighter ‘zones’ of the July 23 Sona

1. With all those sleek and expensive outfits worn by the members of Congress, their spouses and guests during the third State of the Nation Address of President Aquino, who needs to be told about the state of the nation?

2. If the National Commission for Culture and the Arts does “scold” singers who sing the Philippine national anthem improperly, it should start educating some members of Congress on the proper way of buttoning up the barong Filipino—that is, buttoning it up all the way to the collar, especially during formal events, such as the Sona.

3. It was repeatedly noted that the loudest and longest applause during the Sona came when President Aquino mentioned the word “responsible parenthood.” Not really. The loudest and longest applause came when P-Noy said the very last line ending his one-and-a-half-hour-long speech.

4. Some personalities, particularly those from the opposition, complained that the President’s Sona failed to touch on certain important issues that needed to be addressed. If the President had talked about all the issues affecting our country, his Sona would have lasted not just one-and-a-half hours, but one-and-a-half days.

5. President Aquino quoted a foreign media analyst reportedly saying, “The Philippines is no longer a joke.” To the opposition, that must have been the biggest joke of the day!

6. The President proudly declared, “Nothing is impossible.” The opposition must have thought, “Impossible is nothing.”

7. But seriously, there are two verses in the book of Ecclesiastes that I was reminded of after listening to the President’s inspiring Sona: “Much dreaming and many words are meaningless” (Eccl. 5:7); and “The more the words the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?” (6:11). Let’s hope that these words of Solomon would not apply to P-Noy’s Sona—that we may indeed truly say in our hearts, “Napakasarap maging Filipino!”

—CHITO G. PASTORES,

272 Ermin Garcia St.,

Cubao, Quezon City