ritics and supporters alike are now bracing for President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s second State of the Nation Address. While it could be expected of Aquino to hit the former administration, we could only guess its content—Malacanang said it is making sure his speech won’t be leaked ahead of July 25.
But this we are sure of: just like last year, Aquino will deliver his speech in Filipino, a Palace official said.
SONA tidbits
The SONA event is not just a yearly tradition or a political-glam affair where First Ladies get to showcase their expensive terno gowns.
Rather, it is a mandated event, as stipulated in the Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution to allow the sitting President give updates, through addressing the Congress, on what has been done and what should be achieved. SONA is held every last Monday of July.
Since 1936, at least 71 SONA speeches have already been delivered, with Manuel L. Quezon giving out the first.
Former President Ferdinand Marcos holds the record of the most number of SONAs conveyed, for he was in power for two decades. He had 20 SONA speeches.
Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came in second with nine speeches.
The country’s fourth president, Sergio Osmena gave out only one SONA speech. He is followed by former President Joseph Estrada who was able to deliver only three before he was ousted in 2001.
In 2007, Arroyo drew 103 rounds of applause while the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino got 80 rounds when she gave her first SONA in 1987.
In 2009, Arroyo opened her speech with a “moment of prayer” for the then ailing Cory Aquino.
For the venue, since 1987, all the presidents delivered their SONA at the same location, the Session Hall of the House of Representatives in the Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City.
History shows that, “only once did a president not appear personally before Congress.”
“On January 23, 1950, President Elpidio Quirino, who was recuperating at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, delivered his State of the Nation Address to the joint session of Congress, beamed through RCS in the United States and picked up by the local radio network at 10:00 a.m. in the morning just in time for the opening of the regular congressional session.,” Malacanang said in its SONA briefer.
Aquino is the first president to deliver his speech entirely in Filipino. Former President Fidel Ramos usually starts his in Filipino but the rest of his speech is in English.
