Dawn of a New Chapter

Last June 25, President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). This SONA was one for the books. It was so much different and more impressive than the others that came before him. Why is that?

Unlike previous SONAs, President Duterte decided to deliver every aspect of his SONA in the simplest and most efficient ways possible.

First, the dress code was changed. There were many issues and jokes made during the past year on how the former President Benigno Aquino III’s SONA in 2015 was more of a fashion show than a presidential speech. This revolved around the fact that all sorts of media made reports on what dress Heart Evangelista wore, how Nancy Binay’s dress made her look like a certain character, and how Kris Aquino’s dress was made with unique fabric by a famous designer.

President Duterte made the dress code for this year’s SONA business attire, meaning the men would wear a barong while the women would be allowed to wear Filipiniana attire but no long gowns.

This small action actually takes the Philippines one step closer to becoming a more developed country. The President was able to make everyone attending his SONA focus more on the importance of his message to the nation than on the not-so-relevant things.

Second was his manner of speaking. President Duterte spoke in a way that everyone could understand — with simple words. He didn’t use a lot of big words (which, I believe, was one of the main reasons why many people don’t want to watch SONAs) and also cracked small jokes which helped keep the interest of those watching.

Although he did go overboard with his joking and went off-topic at some points, his speech was so simply put, yet was still able to send a meaningful message. This could be helpful to those watching who didn’t have much formal education and don’t have a wide vocabulary.

Finally, he really is doing his best to deliver on his promises. He said that he will do his best to fix the Philippines’ illegal drug problem. “We will not stop until the last drug lord, the last financier, and the last pusher have surrendered or put behind bars… or below the ground, if they so wish.”

Look at the Philippines’ illegal drug status now. Thousands of drug users have already surrendered themselves to the authorities. Government officials involved in drugs have been revealed and are removed of their position. Little by little, his presidency is taking effect on one of the major problems of the Philippines.

He did have more goals for our country’s future, such as addressing traffic jams, sufficient income for Filipinos to meet basic needs, and making sure that the government will be clean from now on. Hopefully, he will also meet these goals the same way he currently is with drugs.

This year’s SONA showed how simplicity can be a very effective means to spread a message. Big words do not mean anything if no one understands them. President Duterte is the newest President, and if he keeps this up I am sure that he will be able to help the Philippines develop into the best country that it can be.

#SONA #Politics