No Mention of ‘Unity’ nor ‘Drugs’: Netizens React to President Marcos Jr.’s Cuss-Free SONA 2022

As if heeding to calls by some lawmakers, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) devoid of his campaign rhetoric about unity. Instead, the son of a former dictator outlined his ambitious plans for a country still reeling from the impact of the pandemic, while skipping other pressing concerns such as drugs, human rights, and the West Philippine Sea dispute. In fact, nowhere in his speech that ran almost 8,000 words can one find the words “unity” or “drugs,” the latter a stark contrast to his predecessor’s fixation for the war on drugs.

As politicos and their ramp-ready guests trooped to the Batasang Pambansa on July 25 to hear Marcos Jr.’s first SONA, Filipinos took to social media to express their opinions about the 73-minute-long address. Here are the netizens’ hot takes on Marcos Jr.’s cuss-free speech.

Hope for the Best

Marcos Jr.’s SONA easily topped the trending topics on Twitter yesterday, with “#SONA2022” and “ROTC” racking up thousands of tweets. TV host Bianca Gonzales, a staunch supporter of Marcos rival and former Vice President Leni Robredo, said the speech was “good” and that she hopes the present administration “delivers on the promises, para sa bayan (for the country).”

In a follow-up tweet, the celebrity stressed that the Marcoses should still be held “accountable for the stolen wealth and the [Martial Law] human rights abuses.”

Historian Xiao Chua said he appreciated the president’s promises, particularly those involving the environment and technology. Chua, however, was not convinced by the planned measure to make Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory, a sentiment echoed by other netizens.

“We will watch but God bless the Philippines and our President. But we will watch. May the government work to fulfill his good agenda,” Chua tweeted.

For business news editor Dax Lucas, the president’s address was a “winner” from a policy perspective. “The only thing left to criticize at this this point, really, is whatever he will NOT mention.”

In a series of tweets critiquing the president’s speech, Oscar Serquina, Jr. said references to the “Filipino brand” were refreshing to hear during SONA and described the entire speech as “detailed, rational, and structured.” He noted, however, that code-switching from English to Filipino during the portion about agriculture indicates how language is being used as a “marker of class divide.”

ROTC Pushback

Marcos Jr.’s proposal to reinstitute the controversial mandatory ROTC did not sit well with some netizens despite its promise to “motivate, train, organize and mobilize the students for national defense preparedness, including disaster preparedness and capacity building for risk-related situations.”

Twitter user @zaryanzar said the public should not forget why the ROTC was banned, alluding to the death of University of Santo Tomas student Mark Welson Chua.

For Twitter user @viatskhm, the Marcos administration should prioritize the education sector’s problems in literacy, while @LadanEveryDay believes ROTC is “a great way to introduce discipline.”

      

What Were Unsaid

Although the president tackled major themes such as the economy and the COVID-19 situation with a flurry of data and statistics, netizens were quick to point out that the president missed out on certain issues that also deserve the spotlight.

Sociologist Ash Presto observed the lack of “democratic norms such as due process, press freedom, human rights, and gender equality” in the address.

Journalist Danilo Arao also lamented having no mention of election reforms, public information system, and wage increases.

What do you think of the SONA 2022?