MY SONA

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.