Saturday, July 21, 2007 Editorial: Sona and rallies
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to deliver her State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Congress on Monday.
But as early as Friday, various militant and progressive groups all over the country including Bacolod and Negros Occidental, announced the holding of the nationwide anti-Sona rallies.
This as militants stressed that GMA will only deliver a "false report" and not the real state of the nation to the people.
And, in preparation also, the Philippine National Police and Philippine Army are now getting ready to guard Congress from militant protesters in order for them not to penetrate and cause any trouble during the President's Sona.
Around thousands of law enforcers will be deployed in various strategic places in Manila especially those leading to Congress to avert any worse incidents.
This kind of scenario however is no different from the previous years and not only during the term of President Arroyo.
Meaning, every year, protest-rallies, among other anti-Sona movements are being held. Of course, the same statements, the same condemnation, the same style, the same props, the same people behind.
So tiring to see militant people pushing themselves against police cordons just to create commotion and let authorities react and hurt protesters so as to demean the law enforcers.
So tiring also to hear the chants of rallyists that include the repeated cry against a US-Arroyo imperialist government, the “Hello Garci” controversy, among others.
To lament on the streets and to chant bad words against the President are not crimes or are condemnable. Everyone has the right to express his/her feelings.
However, being citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, each and everyone must also listen to the President so they would also know what are the things that President Arroyo have accomplished and what other things she plans to do for the good of the entire citizenry.
Why don't we listen to the President and her dreams and plans for the country for her last three remaining years in office?
After all, some also believe that with the Arroyo administration, a lot of sectors were already assisted and a lot of projects had also been implemented.
But refusing to hear the President's Sona is also like refusing to know the real state of our beloved nation.
