Poorly written speech

It was unfortunate that I had to listen to President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address for nearly two hours, maybe more, only to end up in deep regret, mumbling to myself: “Alas, if P-Noy were in high school, he would have grossly failed in Speech Writing!”

To clarify, imagine that P-Noy belonged to a class assigned to interview people and observe their ways of living, and from there deliver a speech before the class regarding the economic state or condition obtaining in their respective communities. Imagine further: You were the teacher and one of the speeches you heard essentially highlighted one barangay captain’s achievements in exactly the same context, manner, style and fashion in and by which P-Noy delivered his last Sona.

Now, be honest: How would you grade that speech and why? Maybe zero, not only because the speech did not cover what was specifically called for, but also because the writer apparently did not know what the simple words “state” or “condition” exactly meant. The latter lapse might be forgivable if committed by a student; surely not if by the country’s president.

As far as I humbly know, the Sona, an annual practice copied from the Americans, is supposed to report essentially on the state or condition of the nation and thus enable the president to outline his agenda and national priorities for the ensuing year; for which, in turn, he needs and expects the cooperation of both houses of Congress through appropriate legislation.

The address may allow the president to highlight his achievements, but definitely not to criticize his predecessor’s performance. Neither is it intended to end up into what P-Noy’s last Sona became: a campaign speech. Which is downright ironic, because he is not running for reelection. I will not be surprised either if this happens in the United States, where the incumbent president is allowed a second term. Even so, to be honest, I still have to hear or read of an American president ever behaving as P-Noy did in his Sonas.

We can all agree that the Charter provision requiring the Sona to be delivered by the president before a joint session of Congress has not been put there for no important reason at all. As purportedly envisioned, it is from the Sona that our lawmakers should derive ample insights and valuable inputs relative to the measures they should pass for the continuing wellbeing of the nation.

But with P-Noy’s last Sona, as well as in the last five, where he presented almost purely his accomplishments while tirelessly lambasting his predecessor, hence indicating the state of the nation has been well under his watch—note the innumerable resounding applause of the lawmakers in response to everything P-Noy said—what remedial or economy-improving measures may yet be expected from Congress? As such, it is indeed no wonder that up to now we Filipinos still mostly wallow in the quagmire of poverty we were in some five to six years ago.

—RUDY L. CORONEL, [email protected]