BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA, RAYMART ESCOPEL and EDITH COLMO
ILOILO City – Some gave it two thumbs up, others thumbed it down.
The public’s reaction to President Benigno Aquino III’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) was varied.
Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and Guimaras’ Gov. Samuel Gumarin both gave it a high mark.
“He gave us a very clear sense of direction in so far as his agenda of reform and change are concerned,” said Defensor.
Gumarin said his constituents felt what the President was saying, citing the P90 million they got from the national government to improve the provincial hospital.
But local business leader Joe Marie Agriam was not impressed.
“What I heard were small reports. Those were (mere) rhetoric. Wala sang unod ang iya gina panghmbal (It was an empty speech),” said the Western Visayas governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Curiously, another local business leader did not share Agriam’s view.
“For me, it was the most comprehensive report he had given compared to his previous Sonas,” said Lea Victoria Lara, Iloilo Business Club executive director.
What struck Lara most, she said, was how “the programs of the government changed the faith of the Filipinos in themselves. These are designed to recover the pride of the Filipinos.”
Lara commended the President for balancing the public’s need for better services and the business sector’s needs to grow.
A college student, meanwhile, accused the President of “deceiving” the people.
“He only talked about the positive results of the things he is doing,” said a third year Education student at West Visayas State University. He asked not to be identified.
He challenged fellow students to get out of their classrooms to “know the bad things PNoy is doing.”
On the other hand, Fr. Marco Sulayao, spokesperson of Kusog sang Pamuluyo – Panay and member of Iglesia Filipina Independiente, criticized the President’s audience at the Batasang Pambansa session hall yesterday for applauding the Sona.
“We know why. It was because of their pork barrels,” he said.
The Supreme Court had declared both the Priority Development Assistance Fund and Disbursement Acceleration Program illegal.
In Bacolod City, the unimpressed activists Ian Evidente and Christian Tuayon called for the President’s impeachment as they led a protest.
Bacolod City’s Vice Mayor Thaddy Sayson said the President “could have been more specific” on how to stop smuggling.
Sugar smuggling is a big issue in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, being a producer of sugar.
“At least he was no longer buck-passing, and he appealed to the emotions of his bosses – the people. He made me shed tears,” said Dr. Ann Morillo, assistant human resource development officer of the Negros Occidental capitol.
Bacolod City’s Councilor Caesar Distrito lamented: “He had promised rice sufficiency before, but now he admitted that he cannot stabilize the high price of rice and hoarding, and the government will even import more rice.”/PN
