More jobs, less red tape in government, abolish the pork barrel system.
These are among the high expectations listed by a number of concerned Filipinos ahead of the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Benigno S. Aquino III today.
The President is set to deliver his annual public address that will highlight his achievements in the past year as well as his policy priorities that will dominate the agenda in the year ahead.
Several netizens expect the President to talk about the jobs and the economy while others want him to do more in resolving poverty and corruption in the country.
The sentiments were posted online after Malacañang launched a video, “Ano ang SONA Mo?” highlighting its accomplishments in the past year as well as asking the public to share their own SONA. The video, uploaded on YouTube, had earned 16,782 views as of yesterday afternoon.
“In terms of jobs, the number made available by the private sector far outnumber that provided by the public sector,” said YouTube user, Nemea Dyneskal.
“The role of the government is to put together institutions and actors in the country to provide the most benefits for the economy. This should probably be the main role of the government so as to ensure that the private sector’s view will not be limited to just their own interests,” the user added.
Another YouTube user, Saint Ray, listed several concerns the government should address, including sustained fight against corruption and approval of the freedom of information measure.
“SONA: 1. Remove Red Tape in the Government, 2. Remove PDAF of Congress and Senate. 3. Prioritize Education & Healthcare. 4. Prioritize AFP Modernization 5. Prioritize Agriculture and Fisheries. 6. Spread out Industrialization in all Provinces and Regions. 7. No to Political Dynasty. 8. Freedom of Information,” the post read.
For user, SuperX7even, the government must focus on promoting education for every Filipino, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and tourism.
Some netizens, on the other hand, appeared skeptical about Aquino’s glowing economic record, citing lingering poverty and corruption in the country.
To know the true state of the nation, user Rene Manahan suggested that the President should take a ride in the slums. “State of the Nation? Why not just take a jeepney ride from a depressed area like say Pnagbuhatan, Pasig City to say Binondo, Manila and come back to feel the real State of the Nation?” Manahan wrote.
Amid all the talk ahead of the SONA, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda urged the public not to prejudge the President. “We are inviting the public to listen to the President’s SONA on Monday. He will lay down in his State of the Nation Address what he wants to say to the people,” Lacierda said.
“Don’t have any prejudgment. Don’t have any analyst tell you this is what the President is going to say, this is what the President is not going to say. Let’s just wait for the SONA to be delivered. You can understand what is the intention of the President in his upcoming SONA,” he added.
Palace officials have remained tight-lipped about the contents of SONA although the President recently dropped a few hints about his upcoming address wherein he intends to present the true status of the country.

Source: Manila Bulletin - July 22, 2013