Unlike others who were underwhelmed by President Aquino’s first State-of–the Nation address because they were expecting revelations more shocking than those he had leaked while he was still finalizing his speech, I found it just okay.

Sure, a large part of his speech was a litany of Gloria Arroyo’s sins. One cannot and should never be jaded about anomalies and abuse of power. Even if you know it’s happening all the time, who would not be shocked over the gargantuan salaries of the members of the board of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

He said, “Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag….

“Umupo ka lang sa Board of Trustees at Board Committee meeting, katorse mil na. Aabot ng nobenta’y otso mil ito kada buwan. May grocery incentive pa sila na otsenta mil kada taon.

“Hindi lang iyon: may mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, at Financial Assistance. May Christmas bonus na, may Additional Christmas Package pa. Kada isa sa mga ito, nobenta’y otso mil.”

Those privileges become outrageous if you consider that as he said the ordinary MWSS worker just get a 13th month pay and cash gift. Much more outrageous if you heard retirees complain that they have not received their benefits after many years of retirement.

Many are disappointed that he did not touch on major concerns. Like Susan “Toots” Ople is dismayed that he did not say plans for the Overseas Foreign Workers.

Journalist Caloy Conde posted in Facebook an article from Bulatlat that expressed disappointment over Aquino’s “no mention of land reform, no promise of any wage hike, no hint that the budget for education and basic social services will be increased, no reference to the reality that debt servicing eats into the national budget.”

C'mon guys, would you have been happier if he delivered a two-hour SONA?

Another journalist Inday Varona waited in vain to hear him push for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill. Furthermore, Inday said, “That Sona was interesting as much for what was left out than what was said.”

The National Union of the Journalist of the Philippines shares Inday’s feeling about FOI. “We are disappointed that in his State of the Nation Address, the President made no mention of the Freedom of Information Bill, a long delayed legislation to ensure transparency of government transactions, which was shamefully shelved by the last Congress,” the group said.

NUJP is also concerned that aside from saying that the suspects in the killing of journalists Jose Daguio and Miguel Belen and that of Bayan coordinator Francisco Baldomero, Aquino did not issue any categorical statement about ensuring justice for victims of the Ampatuan Massacre and decisively putting an end to the continued killings of journalists.

NUJP said it is also dismayed that Aquino was also silent on the massive contractualization in the media industry, low wages of employees and worsening retrenchment and termination even of regular employees.

Rather, he lectured on media: “May you give new meaning to the principles of your vocation: to provide clarity to pressing issues; to be fair and truthful in your reporting, and to raise the level of public discourse. “

He told media to “police your own ranks.” I can’t blame him. He must have had unpleasant experience with the ACDC (attack-collect-defend-collect) operators in media.

Aquino once again spoke about the Truth Commission that he said “will search for the truth on the alleged wrongdoing committed in the last nine years.”

He has entrusted former Chief Justice Hilario Davide, the man who helped install Arroyo to the presidency without having been elected by the people in 2001 and had been rewarded with a United Nations ambassadorship, to lead the search.

Many are criticizing the choice of Davide. Many are also are saying that the Commission would be a toothless investigative body. Lawyer Harry Roque said, “ It cannot have the powers to issue summons, nor will it have the power to cite individuals in contempt.“

I would not also be disappointed if the Davide, in the end, clears Arroyo of any wrongdoing.

I won’t be disappointed because I have no high expectations.


E-mail:ellentordesillas@gmail.com