Rainy weather seen for Sona

FOR the third straight year, a rainy State of the Nation Address (Sona) awaits President Benigno Aquino III on Monday.

In a special weather outlook for July 23, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical Astronomical and Services Administration (Pagasa) said the southwest monsoon will continue to dump scattered rainshowers (light to moderate rains) and thunderstorms over Metro Manila.

The same weather condition is also expected over Luzon and Visayas, especially the western sections.

Tropical Depression “Ferdie” left the Philippines on Saturday evening but its indirect effect includes the development of monsoon clouds affecting Luzon.

President Benigno Aquino III is set to address the public at the House of Representatives, where he is expected to highlight his administration’s gains in the economy and fight against graft and corruption.

Meantime, militant artists from Southern Tagalog who will join the anti-Aquino march near the House of Representatives created an effigy that will be burned during the rally.

The effigy depicts Aquino seated on the lap of Uncle Sam (United States) atop an aircraft carrier. Underneath, live people will be seen as either being drowned or slammed by the warship.

“This image represents in general the aggression of the Aquino administration under the ambit of US imperialism against the poor people in Southern Tagalog as well as in the entire country,” explained its creators, the Artists Response to the Call for Social Transformation (Arrest).

The missiles and warplanes, meanwhile, will be labeled with the anti-people policies implemented by Aquino, such as the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan, public-private partnership and the latest executive order on mining, among others.

Before it reaches the gates of the House of Representatives where it will be burned as traditionally practiced, the effigy will have several stops in Southern Tagalog and Metro Manila as part of the general program of the Lakbayan ng Mamamayan, which is expected to draw some 2,000 marchers.

Among the sites where Aquino’s effigy is set to appear include Crossing, Calamba, Laguna, Baclaran, US Embassy, Mendiola in Manila, and Aquino’s residence in Times Street, Quezon City.

Aside from the effigy, which is the center art piece, the people can expect to see other artistic forms of protest that will highlight the so-called “People’s Sona," according to Arrest. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)