The Arroyo government has been dismissing surveys showing that the satisfactory rating of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is at an all-time low of –38 and that majority of Filipinos think that the SONA is untruthful. Do these reflect the views of the people? The following are write-ups from two high school students, which was sent to Bulatlat.…
Tags: SONA
Starting Early
Starting Early Whoever said that children are too young to be attending protest rallies?(Photo by Angie de Lara/bulatlat.com)
The People’s SONA
PHOTO ESSAY PHOTOS BY ANGIE DE LARA AND RONALYN V. OLEA TEXT BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO Bulatlat Vol. VIII, No. 26, August 3-9, 2008 The sky was cloudy and there were intermittent rains on July 28, when activists took to the streets to greet Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) with protests.…
Street Repertory: The Role of Art in the People’s SONA
Artists of various disciplines congregated to make the ‘People’s SONA’ a cultural affair as well. Theatrics, musical numbers and poetry-reading were performed. Enormous, hideous effigies stood side-by-side, creative banners and streamers were hung everywhere and the backdrop bore the color and image of people’s dissent. The cultural concept of the event intended to educate the…
Arroyo Gov’t Destroying Peace, Causing Poverty in Mindanao – Solon
BY BULATLAT Posted 4:53 p.m., July 29, 2008 Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo admitted in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday her government’s failure to alleviate poverty in Mindanao due to the ‘endless conflict in the island.’ But a congresswoman from Davao attributed poverty to the Arroyo government itself. In a statement, Gabriela Women’s Party…
Arroyo Cheating in Grabbing Credit for Lower Text Messaging – Consumer Group
BY BULATLAT Posted 4:38 p.m., July 29, 2008 Consumer group TXTPower is not at all happy about the 50-percent cost reduction of text messaging. In her State of the Nation Address yesterday, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced that telecommunication companies have heeded her call to reduce the price of text messaging. The TXTPower called this cheating.…
GMA Can’t Boast of Progress, Solon Says at SONA Rally
BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO Bulatlat Posted 7:15 p.m., July 28, 2008 Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cannot make any realistic claim of progress today, a representative of the party-list group Bayan Muna (People First) said today at the rally against the State of the Nation Address (SONA). In his speech at the rally in Quezon City, just…
People’s Counter SONA Precedes Arroyo’s Speech
BY BULATLAT Posted 2:40 p.m. – July 28, 2008 Even before Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her state of the nation address (SONA), people’s organizations under the banner of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan- New Patriotic Alliance) presented what they called the People’s SONA. Speaking before the thousands of protesters, Dr. Carol Araullo, Bayan chairperson, said,…
Teachers Demand for Decent Salary, Gear Up for ‘People’s SONA’
The plight of Filipino teachers has been at its worst since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). Amid the recent surges in the prices of petroleum products and consequently of transport and basic commodities, it is but just to demand for a salary increase, said the…
Hunger and Poverty, Dissatisfaction, and Absence of Justice Reveal the True State of the Nation
Widespread hunger and poverty, broad dissatisfaction, and the absence of justice belie any claim of accomplishments that the Arroyo government is hard-selling on the people. BY BENJIE OLIVEROS ANALYSIS Vol. VIII, No. 25, July 27-August 2, 2008 Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would be delivering the 7th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of her administration on…
State of the People
State of the People. Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may well be expected to give this year a State of the Nation Address (SoNA) that is merely an extended version of her “Ramdam ang Kaunlaran” (Progress is Felt) slogan. Only her sycophants in Congress will applaud her speech because the people, who are bearing the brunt of…