Reaction Paper on the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III: “Equal Opportunities”

It is President Noynoy’s 4th SONA. Seems to me that it had already been 3 years and counting when his Excellency have been elected as the President of the Republic of the Philippines and I can see as he presented his SONA that all this time, he was really working himself out for our country.

Many people have been all ears for President Noynoy’s SONA- some maybe to see the progress of the country, some to witness him fail his promises and some like me were required to make a reaction paper. But all in all we all have the responsibility to care what is going on now during his term, what he had already done and achieved. There were things that I want my opinions to specifically focus on.

In his speech, he had talked about the opportunities for everyone especially among who need them most. This includes the scholarship programs for TESDA. Our college has a building sharing with TESDA. I see youth of my age and those who I know who cannot afford education from private institutions and cannot meet the educational background requirements studying in TESDA. I see hope to those people who wants to learn despite of financial problems. In his SONA he said,“ Noong araw po, ayon sa pag-aaral ng DBM noong 2006 hanggang 2008, ang nakahanap ng trabaho sa mga napagtapos ng TESDA: 28.5 percent lamang. Noong lumipas na taon naman po: sa IT-BPO program, 70.9 percent ang employment rate ng ating mga napatapos sa TESDA. Sa electronics and semiconductor program naman, umabot sa 85 porsyento ng mga nagtapos noong 2012 ang nagkatrabaho.”. He reports the success rate of finding a job after studying in TESDA. He proved that if you cannot afford education that is not the end of striving to learn and improve one’s self. And that success wasn’t just because of him. It was the product of the student’s eagerness to learn and the administrator’s eagerness to help students achieve the knowledge they need for their education. As a college student for me, education is rare nowadays. Many of us cannot afford it and what hurts the most is that many who can, take it for granted.

Another topic was the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” which advocates and helps many Filipino Families reaching a better life through house programs. In my former address, the only thing that separates us from the squatter’s area was our wall. We often miss things. There were many children who climb up to our wall and get something that they do not own. For me this is a great deal. This housing program should really work. Shoving away squatter’s area might feel right because they really do not have the right to stay there or live there. The housing program must make sure that these people won’t go somewhere else and begin to build another squatter’s area somewhere. The program needs to be stable. I heard some reports about some housing programs that were only good in the beginning, and after quite some time, electricity and water supplies become scarce. Houses built began to reveal their damages. There were problems of transportation. And I wish that this “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” which he said that is expected to be expanding will give quality help for the families.

At the end of his speech, he ignited Filipinos with his words,” Sinabi po sa akin dati: Noynoy, simulan mo lang. Sinimulan nga po natin, at ngayon, kitang-kita na ang layo ng ating narating. Ngayon, Pilipino, ituloy natin ang pagkakapit-bisig, sabay nating arugain, pabilisin, at palawakin ang transpormasyon ng lipunan. Ako po si Noynoy Aquino; ipinagmamalaki ko sa buong mundo: Pilipino ako. Napakasarap maging Pilipino sa panahong ito.”. A very good SONA ending line which encourages Filipinos to help him raise this country. It is true. This is not only his fight, not only his country and not only his responsibility so, why are we always waiting for him to fail? Why won’t we stand up for this country, be proud and do our best to help our brothers and sisters? We always see things that are wrong, and complain about it. We must not only complain but also strive to correct it and hand in hand become a strong, progressive country.