If you had to give your own Philippine State of the Nation address, what will it be and why?

In President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's final State of the Nation Address, she said that ';the state of the nation is a strong economy, good news for our people, bad news for critics.'; Do you agree with the President or do you have your own short version of the state of our nation?If you had to give your own Philippine State of the Nation address, what will it be and why?
There are no questions about her capabilities as a leader, but for me, she did not perform well to lead the people.If you had to give your own Philippine State of the Nation address, what will it be and why?
If the Philippines have a strong economy, is that any help to the poor people who can hardly have a roof over their heads and food on the table? If the economy is strong why do they have over six million Filipinos working overseas mostly in jobs involving servitude?





My version of the state of the nation is that the country is in a state of status quo. The rich still get richer and the poor still get poorer. The rich and the elite don't really want to have a strong economy because when the country becomes prosperous that will help institute the ';middle class'; which, they (the affluent) regard as a distraction for their way of life. What the elitists want is to keep as many people busy taking care of their basic needs ( food and shelter) so that they (the poor) have no time for hopes and ideas. Once the people start t have hopes and develope ideas, that will be a big problem for the controlling elites. Further, because of the Catholic Church position on birth control, Filipinos (especially the poor) breed like minks. Something needs to be done about this dilemma. Just too many mouths to feed which saps the meager Philippines economy.
Well, if we are to see the differences between the state of the Philippine economy when she became to power in 2001 and when she leaves the presidency in 2010, we could definitely see change in the macroscale level in terms of transportation, GDP/GNP, credit ratings, Peso vs. Dollar exchange rates, etc. I think that makes this administration stand out from its predecessors.





However, if we look at it in the microscale level, or when you look around the streets of Metro Manila, there is still too much to be done and this has been a problem ever since. This is the ';counter-balance'; of the critics who say that the administration did worse than what it should be expected.
True or not, all presidential remedies adopted since 1986 are short-term ones. Unfortunately, short-term remedies are palliatives and will not address the question of what the Philippine economy should be. The truth is we are still an OFW-driven economy and one of the reasons we did not suffer greatly from the global economic down-turn is our antiquated financial system which in turn made possible the Legacy mess and the CAP meltdown. From Aquino to Arroyo, we never had a President who really understood what being a President is all about.. If they only read our Constitution, the vision is there: from political structures, social institutions to economic objectives. Everything is there already. All the President needs to do is implement the measures to bring the vision into reality or at least, begin the process of real national progress. But I guess they were or are all busy doing other things.
The Philippines has a president who is competent enough to be one, strong enough to endure, and willing enough to give up being one. That is as good as our President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.





She has made many projects to help save our country, especially in transportation. The only problem with our president is, how about the education and poverty of others? They couldn't even learn or earn enough to use transportation.





Congresspeople have the bigger fault. They started the whole cha-cha thing. Our President just goes and somehow gets involved.





Please, do not put fault in her. Put your blames in the hearts of the congresspeople.
Obviously, Gloria is in two states, one is that is must blind of what is happening in her country, or she is lying and deceiving the whole Filipino nation.





When she said the ';economy is strong';, she might be referring to the economy of her family and her crony crocs! I say this because everyone knows that millions of us hungry, as in no-eat in a day! Is this what she's talking about?





Nearly 10 million of us are unemployed... is this what she's talking about?





In 2001, the minimum PUJ fare was P4 now it's P7. A ganta of average quality rice is P75. Is this her bases in saying the economy is strong?





For me, the economy is worse than ever!
I believe that anyone who becomes a President can accomplish something. The problems in the Philippines did not happen overnight. It is a contribution of the past and present lapses and mis-governance.


Other countries also have their problems on their own. What we need is a President with strong integrity in which GMA fails to consistently demonstrate. That is why whatever her statements in the SONA will be, her intentions will always be questioned. I for one, have doubts in her SONA. Corruption has not been given attention as if it is okay . I am a tax payer and the streets and roads going to our house has many potholes for several years already. I still see many children roaming in the streets instead of attending school. I see a mother with a 3 year old child without a home and beggging for milk.





GMA may be hardworking and the economy may have performed well but I cannot feel the fruits of this hardwork and so called strong economy.
Our present economic situation can be judged by the people and businessmen. Why do most of them complain of hard times. Perhaps GMA should have given the actual state of the nation. Her advisers have window dressed the plight of the poor. People have made changes of their lifestyles to cope up with the economic downturn. Filipinos have survived due to their own sacrifices and not because of the economic strategies of the government. Such sacrifices were shown how surveys approve GMA's ratings. It the last hurrah for GMA to leave a legacy for the Filipinos. 11 months is enough to cleanse her image and be considered as a statesman.
It's a cycle that will revolve around politics and politicizing everything.





I am not an Arroyo ';fan'; nor am I those rallying, raving ';critics';, but I am damned tired of the same blame game everyone plays with whoever sits as president.





They claim this and that, and critics will even stand by arguments that the president did or handled this in a wrong manner, when they themselves do it on a regular basis. Even on national television.








Its hard to put faith in anyone nowadays. But if you are simply going to nag without acting and blame everything on the higher-ups, are you truly helping your country?
Yes our country is at a better state now. To critics, if GMA is not the President now, and FPJ is, do you think FPJ, a third year highschool, can steer well the country more than any other President of a country affected by the Global crisis? Think about it please. We were given no choice last 2004 presidential election. It was between GMA %26amp; FPJ, and critics prefer FPJ than GMA? They are disguising themselves as vanguards of our country? How? I am an ordinary college graduate sirs/madams, but when I applied for a simple clerical job, the minimum degree required then was my college diploma. But in our constitution there was no mention of a minimum educational attainment if a citizen wants to run for President of our country. But you ';HEROES'; daw, (those against the amendment of the Constitution), of our nation opposed the amendment of our Constitution when we all know that several provisions therein are flawed. MAGTULONG TULONG NA LANG TAYO KAPWA KO PILIPINO!!!!
well, she always says that,... strong economy, good news and so on... my ear is aching to her promises and yet it just lying naked... her term is yet to end but the poorFilipino people are still lying in in the state of poverty, there are many people who are starving and many children are out of school youth, there are many graduates who are running and cramming to get a job, but end up nothing..professionals are all- out overseas. what is she saying we have a strong economy - when inflation rate keeps changing and rising.. their own pocket is strong, because they got what is due to ours... Wake up - little president.. wake up... u are maybe sleeping in your haven of lies,,, your term is ending, but you have done nothing.. just leave the governnment with little pride.. go on leave.... you are a president of just good or nothing... I am sorry little ms president, but your governance is as little as you stand.. there is no greater achievement... yet better changes.... better the old government.. i would say... good luck,,, just be an ordinary citizen.
No ordinary Filipino is entitled to his or her SONA including me. We have our life different from the others. Fortunately for me, I am an ordinary employee but I received salary increases every year for the last 2 years and until 2012. Guaranteed. If our economy did not grow said the oppositions and critics of government, why the government afford to increase the salaries of its employees from national to corporate to local government units.





If you are not like me, then maybe you should find another way. Don't complain for we are not meant to be born equal. Some of us would sweat it out under the sun, some of us inside an airconditioned rooms, some would be given rewards for greater efforts and self-sacrifices, and others will opt to beg.





Living our individual life is about economics and not politics.





Kung magSUMIKAP LANG , di na nila kailangan pang sisihin ang kung sinu-sinong tao.
-I went back and stayed in the Philippines for two years and trust me, i didn't see much positive improvements! A lot people are unemployed and more people left for overseas. Only those retired military personnel are the ones who are getting the jobs. They get gov. positions without any knowledge or proper training on their new jobs!





-Here's a good example: a sack of rice cost between 800 to 1000 pesos. How in the world did that sack of rice jumped from php1000 to 1600pesos in less than six months? how do you explain that? Hoarding maybe.., who knows? but is it really hard for the government to solve that? i don't think so!





-The only other option to get money is to participate on vote buying. People get paid ranging from 800 pesos and up to 2000 pesos per vote! yes it is indeed a good news!





-People are not really concern on what the President is doing, what concerns them the most is what is happening behind her back. Don't rely on the surveys and ratings alone. The best thing to do is to observe what is happening around you.





-Isn't sad for some of us to say that the Philippines is going strong when you see more of your Filipino brothers and sisters leaving the Islands everyday???





edit-*Of coarse the Filipino people wants unity! Unity should start from the leaders not the citizens. Most people will follow their leader(s) if they know that they are being taken care of*
democracy right?


i'll use this democracy to give my opinion





lol. debates


all ending up with no perfect concrete conclusions...


not to mention solutions. all saying bla-bla-bla


do you guys who are born perfect criticizing her for her failures could actually do something about the catastrophe brought by the old governments?





we can say that she did something wrong (i think everyone of us usually do), to reach the standards you guys make in your own version of the Philippines. could anybody in the opposition who are doing hours of talking and throwing their butts in the prosperity of life do something about it??





why don't you people think and weigh everything first?





i personally have many things to say about her failures regarding the economy and your comments on whatsoever but come to think of it, the problems of our economy is the sum of all the arrogance of the previous administrations.





i assure you guys, if the previous president remain in position neither he, nor the whole senate and the house of representatives can do something about the economy. it will go to its brink of bankruptcy.





democracy pampered Filipinos a lot in the previous years w/c is why they have gone to their far end.





the next president will benefit a lot from the work of p.GMA.





at least the president works more than she talks....unlike some......
Shucks! Do I really have to?





Well, since you insist, then here is my own short version of SONA.





';It is my distinct privilege to report to the nation that we have finally ousted this tyrant, Cristy Per Minute from ABS (Aref Broadcasting), who preys on illigitimate children by exposing to the public their unknown origins. Also, that there is confirmation that John Lloyd and Ruffa are dating, ergo - Bea is free to team up with this Milby fellow. Who knows? It might be me next time teaming up with her.





Thank you all %26lt;Bows%26gt;';





I have not seen GMA's SONA, but whatever it is she says, or whatever you say she says, I agree with her. She's the most beautiful President this country ever had, and she just still might divorce Mike and be with me yet.
Yes i believe we do have a strong economy. For how many years Pres. Arroyo have a lot of accomplishment. I really mean i'm not really in politics but I do see or recognized the improvement.Other 's may say a lot of people still poor and jobless. How can they find job if they're not looking its just like you want to win in lottery w/o buying a ticket. Its funny but its true. Blaming all the President not just Pres.Arroyo that Phil. have a lot of debt. I can say even God will be seated there they will still criticize.
We do have a strong economy. Though sadly it comes from external sources which kinda makes us dependent on them. A plus of that is that we're becoming that strong money-wise. Yet that doesn't solve the unemployment rate here.





While the BPO sector is a good source of income. They should be investing on developing industries for the local market. If we truly have a strong economy then it's possible to develop local industries and then later leave the BPO industry so that we can make foreigners depend on us and not the other way around.





And good grief do something on our historical sites, and our natural resources. The Philippines' is a gold mine of resources and yet it is only the foreigners who knows it and is taking advantage of it. With this alone we can already provide local high paying jobs to the people. And encourage local businesses to grow.





As for historical sites. Pilipinos don't like being pilipino because they don't have a clue as to who they are and how rich our culture is. If education is a priority of our government. Don't just teach them good english teach them the real history of the Philippines. We're the only country who has no clue as to what we are and it's a shame.
I agree with Madam President GMA to her statements, though I don't like her. But because her last SONA, I appreciate all her good news even her punch lines during delivering her SONA.





Here are some of her statements I restored:





';TO THOSE WHO WANTS TO BE A PRESIDENT, DO SOMETHING, DO IT, DON'T POND IT, AND DON'T SAY BAD WORD TO THE PUBLIC';





';MY TERM DOES NOT END UNTILL NEXT YEAR';





';A NAT'L PROBLEM CAN NOT BE KNOCKED OUT BY A SINGLE PUCH';





';HINDI AKO UMAATRAS SA HAMON';





';SA MGA KRITIKO THEY ARE FRIGHTEND BY THEIR OWN SHADOWS';





These are the phrases which are most I impress to PGMA





Well, she did her best and she will do it again!
No!!our economy is not strong.Many of our countrymen wants to leave the country to seek for greener pasture.That's means the oportunity here are not that us big to say that we have the strong economy.The real strong economy is the state when people does not want to leave here and to go abroad to seek for a job.Yes there is big boom of a BPO jobs here its added to economy but not enough to say that we achieve the much progress as strong economy.


And why we have always to excuse and to reasonout the critics?The critics are there as the mirror of ourselves.The best thing to do with critics is to good and admit our own mistakes.


For what real sona is we had a lot of injustice here,we had a puppet president whose nearly living for while and wants to reign again for ultimate and infinit power.
Definitely I do not agree of all that Mrs. Arroyo stated in her nation's address...but given the chance to have my state of the nation's address... i will not hesitate to touch on my failures of all the projects/promises i made during my 2008 SONA and i will not even make any excuses but rather thanks the filipino people in helping me out to deliver and achieved of the other projects because it is their MONEY who made all these things possible... I will also apoligize to the filipino people of the increasing Graft and Corruption, for not able to alleviate the poor, poverty is rampant in the country. . I will not pretend to be a saint... for i am not but a human being who make mistakes... Ask the filipino people for their forgiveness... I will say to them with all my heart... I AM SORRY...





In the end... I will thank the lord and the filipino people for given me the oppotunity to serve this country...
I will assure the Filipino people to personally and religiously state my honest conviction not to run again for any public office and just be thankful for 9 years that at least there are still people who believes and eagerly supports my programs despite of so many critics in my administration. I will also showcase my remaining programs and hoping the next president to be will finish it.
not everything in our country sucks anyway. but the point now is that the true state of the nation does not only lie to macroeconomics in which i do believe it is quite true but the common Juan dela Cruz cannot feel our economy's strength that is why we need to look deeper and try to link the truth and reality in which we Filipinos feel.





Another thing is that we Filipinos really lack the way we love our country and that is one of the main reasons why Pinas still cannot move forward to growth and development and ideas have already been corrupted not only by politicians but more on colonial mentality.





with these, people who can work for our country would rather go out and not share the wealth and talents we need for the progress we are seeking for.





for those who participates in this kind of discussions, well it is great for us that we still care. so the best for each and everyone is to contribute for the betterment for the state of our nation.





cast our commitments, make a difference, serve the people!!! we are part of the state of this nation not just the speech of our so-called president.
if i will give my own state of the nations address i'll tell all my accomplishments and my future plan for the country. i'll ignore this critics and say not a word against them. why bother. i'm not afraid of them. if we do really have a strong economy why are there more people getting hungry. where are the jobs she promised? if she can explain what happened to jocjoc bolante, to garci, to the northrail, to ZTE deals. lets wait. i believe in KARMA.
There are just to many Filipinos who complain a lot without knowing the facts. Nobody can deny that she is a hard working President and I can see for myself the tangible infrastructure finished all over the Philippines. I agree with what she said. I think history will be kind to her.





Kaya duon sa mga wlang magawa kun di magreklamo, kung gusto nyong umasenso, magsumikap kayo no.
GMA has no understanding of real economics being an economics graduate as she is. I am currently employed with a supervisory level income. I have 3 dependents and yet, what I earn can't even fully satisfy, our basic needs, meaning food, shelter and clothing. If you imagine other Filipinos earning lower than my income, gaano kaya kahirap iyon sa kasalukuyan? She lives in a dream created by her ambition to do better than her father. She is surrounded by people that praises her because of her dole outs. She is protected by the military because she pampers them. And she is a president not truly elected by the people.
Hay! people, people until when you will understand that President is NOT the only person in the Philippines. She's not your mommy or daddy that will supply your daily milk. My goodness!





You keep blaming somebody because you're poor, jobless, out of school etc...Have you ever tried asking yourself why the heck you're in this mess?





Reality is always painful but you have to accept the fact that many Filipinos (NOT ALL) are SUPER, EXTREMELY and SUPERBLY - LAZY!





They keep saying that rich people are corrupt, hello and excuse me! Do you still remember the time when you took your colleagues ball pen or when you took the office supplies because your son/daughter has school project? Petty theft? Hell No! That's corruption righteous!





President needs to balance things and you consider her/him as your father and mother. Even your parents demand you to study and work and they will not just give you everything, why can't you simply compare the government in this situation.





President obligation is to help the UNABLE and not the ABLE.


Meaning if you can work then you find job. If you don't have job then its your job to find it. A company representative will not knock on your door and offer you the job.





If you want to do things then there is NO REASON. But if you don't want to do it then you HAVE THOUSANDS OF REASON.





Again, government will never ever feed you unless you choose to become a beggar on the streets. Feed yourself, enable yourself and do not rest your future to anybody. (If you believe in GOD then that's another topic because that's part of my faith, just to add).
It's obvious gma doesn't know what is real and that which her advisers tell her. If the economy is strong, why do we have 10 million jobless filipinos? why do a lot of us still go abroad for work? Millions go hungry? Is she talking about the economy of the country or her cabinets' economy? She didn't mention anything about corruption coz


it's obviuos she knows it too well.
hello jonas, this is belgium, if i were gloria first i won't lie, for the real situation of the country, she's very good on putting dirt on the eye of filipinos to hide the reality, for this reason that EU didn't give her the requested money that supposed to be for the filipinos but the truth is her family is going to put on their pockets as usual. if i were her my address to the nation is make revolution to change the system of government whose making themselves rich on the back of the filipinos, she's full of bullshit and lies, step down is what she must say to her address to nation, apart that she don't have the personality as a leader of a country, everybody is mocking at her because of her height, how can you vote someone like that, all leaders of the world are laughing at her height, philippines is so desperate isn't it?
Yes I agree. dahil ang mga critics ay hindi naniniwala sa katotohan. Style nila yan. Pinapakita na lumalaban sila sa presidente ng Pilipinas para mapansin sila ng mga tao. Pero WALA naman silang nagawan kabutiha at tulong sa bayan. Some media also bias. Like ABS-CBN., a WELL KNOWN BIAS media station. Panig sa BAYAD para panig sa katoohanan. Kapag nagbayad ka ng malaking halaga sa media papanig sila sa iyo kahit hindi totoo. Nasaan nga naman sila kapag crisis? Sa halip na tumulong, sisirahan pa ang pangulo. Mumurahin pa. Ganyan ba ang gusto natin maging pangulo? walang alam kung hindi magura sa stage?
catholic nations always end up poor. the only catholic nation that is the richest is rome. Now why are officials not afraid to do corrupt things? its because they dont fear anything not even God. why should they be afraid were they can pay the priest to give them repentance. they can pay for a mass to be held so that their sins may be forgiven. arroyo admin is full of controversy regarding alleged corruption. and yet look at her she looks so innocent especially when she calls a priest to hold a mass at the palace. one corrupt deed, one mass paid by her equals sin abolished. what a doctrine it is.
BAD NEWS FOR HER CRITICS...???





THAT ';SELL-OUT ...CHEATER ...FROM THE BLOODLINE OF TRAITOR *****';....HAD A TREACHEROUS DEAL WITH COMMUNIST CHINA REGARDING THE ZTE-NBN...SPRATLY-OIL EXPLORATION DEAL.....IN EXCHANGE FROM BILLION DOLLRS LOAN FROM THE COMMUNISTS.....





HER COHORT KLEPTO GENERALS HAVE VISITED CHNA AND ARE CONTEMPLATING ON PURCHASING CHINESE MILITARY EQUIPMENT.....WHILE CONTINUOSLY BENEFITTING FROM U.S. MILITARY AID/SUPPORT......





FOR HER SEMI-IGNORANT SUPPORTERS WHO PREFERS IDIOCY....





DID JUETENG STOP DURING HER ';GRABBED TERM';?





THE STRONG ECONOMY SHE IS TALKING ABOUT IS DUE TO ';OFW FOREX REMITTANCE';





SHE IS PROUD OF CALL-CENTERS AND B.P.O.....THAT INDUSTRY HAS MINIMAL EFFECT ON R.P.s ECONOMY





HER CONTRIBUTION IS NARCO POLITICS BASED ECONOMY,


SHE' IS SO FRIENDLY WITH HER NARCO TYCOONS...