Pres. Aquino’s SONA 2011 anchored on “anti-wangwang” policy

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III expressed his continued fight against corruption as he constantly mentioned his “anti-wangwang” policy during his 2^nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

(Photo by: Benhur Arcayan/ Malacanang Photo Bureau)

President Aquino, who arrived at Batasang Pambansa via the Presidential chopper passed 3:30 in the afternoon, opened his 2011 SONA recalling his anti-siren campaign when he assumed presidency last year. The President relates the policy as a “symbol of change” as wangwang signifies abuse of authority over the past years.

“Humarap po ako sa inyo noong aking inagurasyon at sinabing: Walang wang-wang sa ating administrasyon. At ngayon, patuloy nating itinitigil ito. Naging hudyat at sagisag po ito ng pagbabago, hindi lamang sa kalsada, kundi pati na rin sa kaisipan sa lipunan.” PNoy stated as he delivers his speech.

“Sa matagal na panahon, naging simbolo ng pang-aabuso ang wang-wang….. Ang mga dapat naglilingkod ang siya pang nang-aapi. Ang panlalamang matapos mangakong maglingkod—iyan po ang utak wang-wang.” Aquino added.

President Aquino continued his speech with the rundown of accomplishments of his administration for the past year citing the decrease on the ratio of self-rated hunger; more private investors on power plants; seven-times all-time high in stock market; lower imports of rice; housing projects for policemen, soldiers, and employees of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection; upgrades and modernization of the equipment of the armed forces; and conviction of more human traffickers–all these to name a few on the President’s speech.

PNoy also applauded the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate by passing a number of priority bills. He particularly recognized the lawmakers for passing laws on GOCC Governance, ARMM Synchronization, Lifeline Electricity Rates Extension, Joint Congressional Power Commission Extension, Children and Infants’ Mandatory Immunization, and Women Night Workers.

Aquino reiterated his seriousness in fighting corruption, announcing the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales as the new Ombudsman.

“Pagpasok ng bagong Ombudsman na si dating Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, magkakaroon tayo ng tanod-bayan na hindi magiging tanod-bayad ng mga nagwawang-wang sa pamahalaan. Inaasahan ko nga po na sa taon na ito, masasampahan na ng kaso ang lahat ng nagkuntsabahan sa katiwalian, at naging sanhi ng situwasyong ating inabutan. Tapos na rin po ang panahon kung kailan nagsasampa ang gobyerno ng malalabnaw na kaso. Kapag tayo ang nagsampa, matibay ang ebidensya, malinaw ang testimonya, at siguradong walang lusot ang salarin.” said PNoy.

The SONA lasted for 53-minutes and delivered in Filipino received mixed views and opinions from the public who took their thoughts on different social networking sites.

A tweet found “nothing new. PNoy has no real achievement to be proud of nor real solutions to our pressing problems. Just plain empty grandstanding”. Another tweet sounded positive and cited that “The Philippines and the Filipino people are, finally, truly alive.”

Meanwhile, Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo decided to skip her successor’s 2^nd nation’s address and instead went to her fellow Kabalen in Pampanga. Arroyo left Batasang Pambansa an hour before the President delivered his address.

There were varied reactions on the anti-wangwang as a symbol of his fight against corruption.

Here are the curated reactions on Twitter about the SONA in general.