Ang SONA ni Mr. Wang Wang

(This entry is a combination of our experience in the vigil, the SONAng bayan, and the educational talk with farmers and workers.)

Almost one year passed since President Benigno Aquino III sat in position. When he was inducted as president, many Filipinos rejoiced, hoping that there will be a change in the rotten system of the government. His flowery words marked an impression on every man that can hear it. Everyone's expecting that he will be on the right path, as what he is always saying.

Is he?

The night before the SONAng Bayan, people from different organizations gathered in Vinson's Hall lobby to have an overnight vigil and to prepare for the next day's activity as well. They created paper masks of PNoy with words printed on his hat: "Papet", "Pahirap", "Pasista." They also created placards that displayed their protests against the system the president is implementing. We met new people, like Kuya Miko, Kuya Pepi and Ate Geri, members of Center for Nationalist Studies (CNS), who explained to us the reason why they're having the overnight vigil and the mob on the next day. We also watched an indie short film entitled, "Ang Sandaling Sadya Nila Lire at Isa."

"Walang pagbabago, sa ilalim ni Aquino!"

July 25, 2011: Morning on that day, President Aquino might be preparing himself for his second "State of the Nation Address." Most Filipinos were waiting for whatever plans PNoy would say in his SONA. But in Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, students and people from different sectors gathered to have breakfast together. But the Almusalang Bayan is not the only event that day. That was only a part of the preparation for the march through Sandigan Bayan - the place where the SONAng Bayan would be held.

While eating our pandesals and drinking our coffees, we gathered in circles and listened to Kuya Miko. He gave us informations about the bourgeois, farmers, and the current Philippine situation in general. He illustrated the "triangle" of the society. This triangle showed the ratio of social classes, starting from the landlords at the peak of the triangle to the farmers at the base. Farmers, in great number, are being controlled or exploited by their landlords, who, in small number, benefits most. Kuya Miko also explained why they were counter attacking PNoy's SONA. The voices of the majority - the farmers, the workers, and the poor - should have the chance to be heard by the Filipino people.

"Lupa, edukasyon, karapatan, ipaglaban!"

After the Almusalang Bayan and educational talk, we had our march through Sandigang Bayan. While marching, we kept yelling chants. The march was a fantastic sight; we saw the UP community joined the march, together with students from other schools like PUP. Farmers, workers, and other sectors also went to Sandigang Bayan. At the Sandigang Bayan, different groups performed, with the theme of protest and dismay. While we heard PNoy's speech through the speakers, we gathered at the center to witness the burning of PNoy's effigy (head of PNoy that looks like a rotten penoy). After watching various performances, we again gathered in circles, and listened to two farmers from Hacienda Luisita and a worker from Pentagon as they shared their experiences.

Listening to their story made us feel bad. We really don't accept how come these people experienced such cases: being exploited, fooled, tortured, and killed by their merciless bosses and landlords. How come these bourgeois benefit more when it's the laborer who works and works? How come these Cojuancos and others possess a big chunck of land that is really not theirs? How come farmers in our country don't have their own land? PNoy, what are you doing?

It's also disappointing that PNoy never mentioned anything about the welfare of farmers and the improvement of education in his SONA. Instead, his SONA was filled with criticisms on the Arroyo administration. Why can't he move on in the past? Why did he keep on reviving Arroyo's negative issues whereas did nothing to fix the effects?

My message to PNoy? Move on with Arroyo, dude. Stop playing with your PSP. Ruling the Philippines is not like playing Sims. You have to be serious with the issues - issues involving your boss, as you said, the Filipino people. Kill the bourgeois state of thinking in your brain. Feel the burden carried by the majority - the farmers, the poor.