Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), critics cited a glaring gap between compelling rhetoric and promising statistics and the actual state of the Filipino people, particularly those on the margins.
In a pre-post SONA analysis hosted by the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Agham Pampulitika ng Ateneo (SAMAPULA), Director of the Ateneo Resource Center for Local Governance and Blue Vote Dr. Eminel Jane Alvior, , shed light on the glaring contrast between flashed numbers showing economic growth and the lived realities of the Filipino people.
“Ang mga nakikita natin ay numero lamang, di ba? Minsan napapaganda pa nila. Pero yung nararamdaman natin, mga ordinaryong mamamayan, ay parang hindi pa rin sapat.” Alvior remarked.
Buklod Atenista National Convener Justin Felicia noted that economic metrics such as the remittances sent by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth are not enough to declare a better quality of life, especially when it is not felt on the ground.
“Maganda ang ating ekonomiya, pero ang tanong ko sa inyo, nararamdaman ba ninyo ito sa inyong mga bulsa?” he stated.
Even in foreign affairs, Ateneo International Studies Students Organization (AISSO) President Krizia Dale Pamat questioned the continued strengthening of diplomatic relations with various countries, as it fails to demonstrate benefits to the Filipinos and that it should be backed by concrete action.
“The Philippines showed a very diversified portfolio regarding its multilateral relationships with other countries, strengthening ties with Japan, South Korea, and Russia, to name a few, and importing oil after the Strait of Hormuz was closed… we have to keep calling for transparency and accountability and make sure everything is genuinely beneficial both locally and nationally.”
In the light of widespread corruption, Atenews Honorary Editor Elliot Dimasuhid slammed the President’s performative tendencies in governance, noting that many government officials who praised him for his rhetoric against the flood-control controversies are likely involved in, and even active instruments of, the corruption scheme.
“Marcos castigated officials responsible for faulty, corrupted, tainted flood control projects, including his cousin, while receiving a standing ovation from lawmakers and officials who were likely responsible for the same faulty, corruption-tainted flood control projects.”
Buklod Atenista Ambassador Ma. Kassandra Janyll Acopio lamented that the government’s quest for accountability remained selective, focusing solely on the flood-control projects while simultaneously neglecting other pressing issues.
“Habang nag-aaway ang mga elite sa Maynila, patuloy ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bigas at bilihin hindi lamang sa Mindanao kundi sa buong bansa; habang nagtuturuan sila ng flood control budget, ang [mga] bahay ng mga katutubo at mahihirap ay patuloy na inaagos ng baha…Hindi puwedeng selective ang accountability.”
Amid demands for accountability and transparency, Dimasuhid denounced the administration’s persistent culture of impunity, citing experiences of civil society organizations experiencing state-enforced violence
“Redtagging, intimidation, militarization, trump-up cases, illegal arrests, threats, and other human rights violations that you could think of against our peasants, farmers, fishers, indigenous peoples, and organizations promoting genuine agrarian reform and other important societal issues are rampant pa rin.”
With regard to the reforms of the country’s education system, he criticized the administration’s structuring of students towards skills development rather than values formation and literacy improvement.
“He [PBBM] wants to focus on education reforms, but there is no reference to the need for critical thinking and the weaknesses of K-12 and higher education institution programs… Sa lahat ng programa na ito, it’s geared toward more skills instead of knowledge and values ng mga kabataan at ng mga estudyante in general.”
Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (Kasama sa UP) Mindanao Vice Chairperson Marion Jake Acebo backed the statement, emphasizing the importance of literacy in national development.
“Yung literacy rate ay mahalaga. Hindi nga pinuna ng Pangulo at hindi niya nabanggit kung ano yung kalagayan ng literacy sa bansa. Kaya kailangan na bigyang tuon yan because if you want to have a strong sector, you have to rely on your human capital.”
With this, Acopio urged the youth to take action on community issues and to give voice to the underrepresented sectors of society beyond the confines of the classroom, embodying the essence of being a person for and with others.
“I hope we take our research, our intellect, and our passion and moral courage out of these classrooms and bring them to the margins; maningil tayo ng katotohanan sa mga makapangyarihan and walk with the marginalized.”
The “Tulubagon: A Pre-post SONA Analysis” forum was held last July 27 at the 3F Pakighinabi Room at Ateneo de Davao University.