STATE
OF THE NATION ADDRESS
(A
Read Speech for English 290-Speech and Stage Arts)
To
Senate President Kristina Buenafe; Speaker Febie Casinao, Vice
President Patrick Bautista, Former Presidents Daniffer Jay Tapan and
Taj Ngilay, to our respected magistrates of our Supreme Court,
Senators, to the members of the House of Representatives, to the
member of my Cabinet, Local Government officials, to our ever brave
uniformed members of AFP and PNP (where my father belongs), to all
public servants, and most of all to the undisputed power of the
Filipino citizens, good afternoon to all of us.
This
is my first SONA, and I believe that this speech will mean a lot, not
just for me, but for every Filipinos who witnessed my administration
for the first few months of my service. It's not been too long since
we started to aspire for a great change in our nation: we hoped and
prayed that someday, we will find a Superman who will save us from
the doom of corrupt government officials. However, we failed to find
one. What we found rather is a leader who is fond of riding in her
famed magic car, the wheelchair and her famous power, comes from her
super magic weapon, the neck braces! We are tired of this kind of
superhero, and thus we wanted to hire someone who best mirror a six
letter word- try to spell out CHANGE!
It's
been a long while since we first started saying in our very own
homes: “We want change, Who will bring change? When will there be a
change?” Actually, the questions can be answered through oruselves
only. We want change? The change is already existing. Who will bring
change? Of course, it is not me nor Vice President Patrick Bautista,
but it will be US! And when will that change exist? It already exist,
just open our eyes and notice its presence.
Since
the very first day of my administration, I already encountered
numerous problems, left by our former superhero, which calls for an
urgent resolution. Here comes the unresolved problems of our
education system, where students lack educational assistance from the
government. Last administration allotted 20 billion for education,
but what were supplied to our public schools? Unfinished school
buildings? Torn textbooks? Wet blackboards? Insufficient chairs? And
who suffered? THE HOPE OF OUR NATION! We were also left by a very
huge amount of debt from other countries, and it needs be paid as
soon as possible. Here comes also the big problem, the continuous and
undying reproduction of the species of Lolong, not in the zoo, but
in the government office. How I wish they will be transferred in the
zoo, for what we need is a genus of officials with transparency and
who uses their fangs for capturing their fellow alligators too. There
were numerous problems, but only one solution, CHANGE.
Ladies
and gentlemen, I guess, we have also to look into the brighter side
of our nation. As we believe- It's more fun in Philippines. Now, let
me take you to what's really fun in Philippines. It's fun in the
Philippines because students now are enjoying the blessings of
education, with a total allocated budget of 279 billion pesos, it is
possible for them now to write with their own pencils and papers and
read with their own textbooks. It's fun in the Philippines because we
had intensified our Pantawid Pamilya Program, where from 3 million
beneficiaries, now almost 4 million beneficiaries already-meaning,
There's no poverty in Philippines. It's more fun in Philippines
because there were almost 10 million tourists who visited our tourist
spots for the past year, thus, exposing our very own, Puerto Princesa
Subtirranean Underground River, one of the new Seven Wonders of the
World. It's more fun in the Philippines, because there are no more
wang wangs echoing in every streets, coming from the luxurious cars
of our government officials, with the exception of the wang wangs
coming from ambulances, firetrucks or police cars. It's also more fun
in Philippines because the cost of living is cheap, meaning, much
take home for the family. The government has allotted almost 205
billion pesos for the wage increase of our workers. My dearest
Filipino people, with an allocated budget for 2011- 897.3 trillion,
every dimension of Philippine problem is starting to vanish, which
brought up the change in our government system. I have not wished for
these, but all of us hoped for these. What I wished upon the star, is
to make all of you smile in the midst of your grudges and trials.
For
every policeman I meet, he would say, “ Thank you sir for the
bigger salary which you gave to us.” And I say, “ It's not me,
you're the superhero.”
For
every child I see, he would say, “ Thank you po for the pencil and
notebook.” And I say, “ You're the one who provided for it,
because you're a superhero.”
For
every mother I meet, she would say, “Maraming salamat po para sa
bakuna ng anak ko.” And I say, “ No. It's not me. It's you the
real superhero.”
For
every OFW I meet in the airport, she would say, “ Thank you sir.
Now I can live with my family here in Philippines.” And I say, “
Again, It's not me. But it's you, modern hero, a real SUPERHERO.”
For
every Filipino I will meet, he or she will say, “ Thank you for
leading us to the way.” Once again I say, “ It's not me. It's you
who brought Change in our nation. Coz, you are the real SUPERHEROES.”
Once
again I say, I may be talking here in front, but it's your voice who
speak it out. I may be standing here in front, but it's your body
standing proud here in front. I may be representing change here in
front. But I only represent, coz you're the inventor of change. I am
only your loyal servant, and you Filipino people, are my masters,
worthy to be served. Thank you very much and once again, It's more
fun here in Philippines.
