Dianne Kate N.

Nacua ELT – 220

AN ANALYSIS ON PRESIDENT DUTERTE’S FOURTH SONA SPEECH

In the last State of the Nation Addresses (SONA) President Rodrigo Duterte delivered
his 4th SONA last July 22, with his characteristic misogynistic statements.

Most applauded statements

In all, Duterte's 4th SONA was 93 minutes long. For that duration, the audience
clapped 41 times. This excludes the applause at the beginning and end of the speech. Of this
number, 17 were in relation to statements with a call to action.

Among statements that got applauded were those urging Congress to pass bills such
as the reimposition of the death penalty, the creation of departments for water and overseas
workers, and the salary standardization law, among others.

The longest applause lasted for about 8 seconds. This happened when he cracked a
joke about a psychic he knows who supposedly told him that if the Big One hits, the first crack
would be in the middle of the Batasan complex.

This was just a split-second longer than the applause over the parts of the speech
when he said "the West Philippines Sea is ours," and the part when he commended
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu's effort in relation to the Boracay rehabilitation project.
These instances earned him 8 seconds of applause, respectively.

The shortest recorded applause lasted for about 2 seconds. This was when the
President mentioned that he "will not merely coast along or while away" his time during the
remaining years of his term.

These themes are related to policies, accomplishments, mentioned personalities,

warnings, remarkable quotes, jokes, and criticisms.
 The audience also clapped 4 times when Duterte mixed his speech with Filipino lines
– two of which were after he cursed, one when he cracked a joke, and another when he
threatened local government units (LGUs).

Sexist remarks, curses

Duterte uttered 3 sexist remarks which elicited laughter thrice. (‘Boracay girls wait for
you’)

1. "Sabi ko (I said), '911.' 'Yes.' 'What's your emergency?' 'I --- I seemed to lost my --- to have
lost my girlfriend.' 'We know you, Mayor.' 'You go back to Manila there are plenty left there.
Go.'"

2. "There was this three-day no water. I was in Davao. So everybody was complaining and I
was even afraid to come here because what if my girlfriend will not be able to --- to take a
bath. [laughter] She will smell like hell. So I said, I'll wait for the water to wash her."

3. "Naglalakad siya doon sa beach, naka T-shirt na blue and 'yung mata niya nandoon sa
dalawang Caucasian. God damn it, Cimatu, akala ko ba inutusan kita? O, bakit ka palakad-
lakad diyan sa beach, tingnan mo 'yung naka-bikini na dalawang puti." (He was walking along
the beach wearing a blue T-shirt and he was eyeing two Caucasians. God damn it, Cimatu, I
thought I sent you on an errand.)

Advertisement

Aside from these, he also used vulgar words in the middle of his ad-libs.

Below are the instances when he used profanity:

1. On urging Filipinos to be assertive against extortion in LGU's

"Make a scene. Sampalin mo ‘yang putang ina na ‘yan. (Slap that son of a bitch)
[laughter] Kasi aabot rin sa akin ‘yan (Because that will reach me)." [applause]

"Pinapakain ko ng pera ‘yang mga yawa na ‘yan. Eh galit na ako sa inyo eh. Kindly be
assertive. Pagka hiningian ka, sabihin mo, “Tangina mo. Sabi ni Duterte, the President told
us, that if you extort money from me, I will slap you.”
(I am feeding that son of a bitch with money. I'm angry at you. Kindly be assertive. If they ask
you, tell them, "You son of a bitch. Duterte said, the President told us, that if you extort money
from me, I will slap you.")

2. On the joke that Cimatu was spotted in Boracay

"Goddamn it, Cimatu. Akala ko ba inutusan kita? Yes, sir. O bakit ka nagpalakad-lakad
diyan sa beach tinitingnan mo 'yung naka-bikini na dalawang puti?" (Goddamn it, Cimatu, I
thought I sent you on an errand? Why are you strolling around the beach, looking at those
two white women wearing bikinis?)

3. On Nayong Pilipino

"Kaya ko nagsabi 'tang ina ninyo. Anong kahulugan ng Nayong Pilipino kung lagyan
mo ng sugalan and without a bidding?" (The reason why I said son of a bitch. What is Nayong
Filipino for if you put gambling and without bidding?)

Favorite people

Among the personalities the President mentioned, his former top aide, newly-elected senator
Bong Go appeared to be the President's favorite because he was mentioned 8 times. In fact,
Duterte was applauded twice when he brought up the neophyte senator's "honest" testimony
on the controversial frigates deal and his priority bills in the Senate (READ: Still special:
Duterte highlights Bong Go, his pet bills in SONA 2019)

The President's popularity among Filipinos remains despite the controversies he has faced
in his first 3 years in office.

REFERENCE:

https://www.rappler.com/nation/235880-rodrigo-duterte-state-of-the-nation-address-2019