Beyond the flourish of rhetoric
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivered a well-written inaugural address when he took his oath of office on June 30 this year. It is not surprising that the speech was couched in general terms and broad strokes, without the usual cussing and profane language that we had been used to for the past 6 years.
As the new administration takes the helm of government, we want to hear something new and something better in terms of policies and directions rather than recycled ideas that did not work in the past.
Tomorrow, we expect the President to lay down his plans and priorities in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in fulfillment of his constitutional obligation under Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution which states that “The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session.”
In the past, the President takes this opportunity to inform the Congress of his priority legislations that will support his programs and projects. The speech is not an ordinary speech wherein the President will engage in idle talks with the legislators. It is on this occasion that he lays down his cards on the table to tell all the Filipino people how he will govern his people and his government will level the playing field and provide equal opportunities for all.
The key issues we expect the President to address in his SONA include food security, inflation, unemployment, the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption, and many more.
President Marcos’ first SONA is described by his close aides as simple and traditional. We hope that tomorrow’s event will not be business as usual. Despite the sufferings experienced by many Filipinos, legislators and guests have turned the occasion into a fashion show.
Certainly, there will be promises for a better life delivered through the use of powerful words that appeal to the emotion. We just hope that beyond the flourish of rhetoric lies a sincere and well-meaning plan to make the lives of every Filipino better than its current state. We expect not just a good plan but an efficient and effective execution that benefits not a handful of the privileged few, but most, if not all, of the governed.