Reflection Paper on SONA 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his State of the Nation Address this week on the 27th of July
2020. The SONA lasted throughout an hour and 41 minutes. While watching the said address, I rode a
rollercoaster of turbulent emotions.
Although Duterte started his speech with the reality that we are having a troubled life due to the
coronavirus pandemic, I was disappointed that he did not talk any about concrete and focused plans for
the Philippines to rise above the crisis which all Filipinos are seeking for. Instead, he decided to start and
bookend his speech with a jab on one of his fierce critics, Senator Franklin Drilon, whom he accused of
attacking his family and being a hypocrite for calling out the oligarchy. Aside from that, he also promised
to prioritize his fellowmen's lives and then suddenly started to talk about bringing back the death penalty
which I found contradicting. I was amused when the camera panned to the Department of Education
Secretary Leonor Briones, who looks surprised and could only muster a smile when Duterte decided to
take back the approval of face-to-face classes.

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The president assured that the government will hire and deploy more than 20,000 health
professionals to isolated areas and promised to improve the barangays and rural health facilities. But how

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about thanking our medical frontliners, instead of just showing gratitude to the quarantine enforcers
alone? As a student nurse, I am saddened of the truth about the lack of appreciation of the government for

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the health workers who are giving their best and betting their own lives amid pandemic.
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Honestly, I am truly dismayed on the 5th address of him including on how he just gave up the
West Philippine Sea in front of every Filipinos, how he prioritized attacking opposition leaders,
telecommunication companies, and so-called "oligarchs" instead of discussing plans to contain COVID-
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