President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address: Unequivocal or Vague?

    It is the tradition and constitutional duty of the President of the Philippine Republic to deliver a State of The Nation Address or more renowned as the SONA. The SONA is a yearly tradition when the President reports on the status of the country, and may also propose to Congress, before which the address is delivered, certain proposals for legislation that are believed to be necessary."Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution mandates that “The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session,”

    There have been 71 preceding SONAs since the initial one was delivered by President Manuel L. Quezon at the Legislative Building on June 16, 1936.Aquino's SONA on Monday, June 25, 2011 was the 72nd in history, and the 25th of the Fifth Republic."The SONA as an annual practice began during the Commonwealth of the Philippines. The 1935 Constitution, as amended, states in Article VII, Section 5 that “The President shall from time to time give to the Congress information on the state of the Nation, and advocate to its consideration such measures as he shall judge crucially and expedient." Thus, the annual address to the legislature became known as the State of the Nation Address.

    President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III highlights his accomplishments and projects in his second State of the Nation Address. Among these achievements include the lower unemployment and hunger rates, a more optimistic investor confidence and the continuous efforts to fight corruption in the government. He discussed about the eradication of the wang-wang which symbolize abuse of authority, have had fewer hungry Filipinos, betterment of the country’s economy, cheaper energy sources in the years to come, zero based budgeting on government programs, proper use of taxes, a more honest DPWH, no more importation of rice, benefit for police and military personnel, settling the Spratly Island dispute, no to human trafficking, more jobs for the Filipino graduates, implementing health programs for the poor, fortifying ARMM against political crimes, resolution for flood problems, about the monorail transportation system, the new ombudsman, and ending crab mentality.    
     PNoy’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday afternoon drew mixed reactions from the Filipinos, with some saying they found it lacking while others lauding it for supposedly sending a clear message to Filipinos. Some gasped the full message of the SONA, but, of course to some the message failed to register. Others appreciated his achievements and laurels, but do ordinary Filipinos experience these achievements and reforms in the Aquino administration? What are the true state of the country’s economy and the lives of the poor in the first year of PNoy? Where would his “tuwid na daan" lead the nation?

Nutrition Month Celebration Theme: IMPLEMENT BREASTFEEDING; RIGHT, ENOUGH AND EXCLUSIVE!

      Breastfeeding is one of the most innate, natural and valuable deed a mother can do for her beloved and cherished child. Breast milk lingers to be the one and only natural complete and complex nutrition for human infants. Its nature’s formula for ensuring the health and quality of life of a babe.

       Numerous and incalculable health benefits have been proven and is verified to pass from the mother to the child through breast milk, from antibodies which protect an infant at birth to the exclusive nutrients of the mother’s milk which have been revealed and flaunted to prevent a number of childhood diseases, disorders and ailments.

     Yet, in today’s society, breastfeeding is often thought as unnecessary and gratuitous. Mothers are mistakenly led and preceded to believe that a formula does very well as replacement for breast milk. It unequivocally and emphatically does not! Nothing can duplicate the properties of breast milk no matter how much vitamins and minerals and supplements are added to what is the basically the chemical formula.

     There are several reasons why breast milk is better and healthier. Breast milk contains over 400 nutrients that cannot be recreated nor reformed in laboratories. These Nutrients are essential and prerequisite to the healthy product in and growth of babies. In fact, the calorie density, protein, carbohydrates and fats in breast milk changes with the growth of baby in order to meet the nutritional needs of the baby, unlike in formulated milks. Breast milk is also not contained by bacteria and is easier for the infant’s stomach to digest. Infants who have been breast fed for at least eight months have reduced risks of: childhood cancers, diarrheal disease, respiratory illness, ear infections, infant botulism, obesity, cavities and a lot more to mention. In reality breastfeeding is a free service and of no price.

     With just these facts alone indeed it is just right to implement breastfeeding: right, enough, and exclusive here in the Philippines.  So,”Breastfeeding is still the best for babies up to two years old and beyond” and “Breast is still the best”.

A Resolution For Destitution

Your Excellency, Honorable Mr.President Aquino,

       I am very privileged and deeply reverenced to have a chance to write a lowly and prosaic letter addressing to you.
      
       A bountiful and blessed day to you Sir, Im hoping that you are well conditoned while reading this simple letter of mine.
       
       With utmost love and benevolence for our Filipino countrymen I would want to tacle, commend and impose some of the things concerned to our society and life.

       Allow me to talk about the country's situation today, little do some people know that in diverse and remote places of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines that a lot of families suffer from poverty,the destitute,impoverished and needy.Poverty that leads to a lot of bad things that may result to a bigger problem such as crimes, robbery, murder, hold-up, kidnap,carnap and prostitution.This poverty thing makes some people envy and some to be more greedy.I just hope that this would be your number 1 piority,and dont just sit back there, relax, enjoy, and do nothing, please do something about this matter.

       If ever this poverty matter is solved, we would be like the United States,Europe and China,dont you want?

      

      This is just one of the numerous problems and issues that the Philippines are encountering.Target one down, and infintite more to go.

       In this less than one year term that you have been declared President of the Philippine Republic,you might have been done many things for our country, but it isn't yet enough.Look at all the  countries around us, cant you see that they are fastly arising?

       Why dont you increase the salaries and wages of each families to be let it be enough for their necessities?Why dont give each filipino a job or a work to help them support themselves?Why not increase the prices of our products in the world market?Why not protect, develop, utilize and take care of our natural resources?Instead of using the fund intended for that good for nothing RH bill to give contaceptives, why dont you intend it to the desitute filipino people and Why not completely remove the corruption in our government? 

       We filipinos, all know that we have a very affluent and oppulent natural resources but melancholy these riches are not exploited well by the general public and societyWhy not do something to utilie all these things very well? 

       Who am I to say these things?, you are the president, Im just an ordinary student who is expressing my opinion with regards with the things Im perceiving about the country's situation.

       Humble as the bamboo,I humbly request that you do much about this matter.Regards and respect.Thank you.

With regards,

Mighta Zerie Nolasco