Arroyos snub P-Noy's SONA

MANILA, Philippines - Former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hurriedly left the House of Representative after attending the opening of the second regular session of the 15th Congress today.

Mrs. Arroyo, wearing a beige blazer and pants, were swamped by TV cameras and photographers as she exited the North Wing building of Batasan Pambasa complex in Quezon City.

Arroyo has been the target of scathing remarks by President Benigno Aquino III for her alleged involvement in the anomaly-ridden transactions during her term as Chief Executive.

Aside from Arroyo, her brother in law, Negros Occidential Rep. Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. and sons Camarines Sur Rep. Datu Arroyo and Galing Pinoy partylist Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo also left after the morning session opened by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncilo is urging President Aquino to spare the former president in his second SONA.

Malacañang, however, said that the bishop spoke too early and should just wait for the speech.

‘Transforming society’

Malacañang said yesterday that the second SONA of President Aquino will not just be a litany of facts and figures that will inevitably compare his government to that of his predecessor, but will now be accompanied by an “audio-visual presentation.”

But the speech will again be delivered in Filipino, just like in July 2010, so that people from all walks of life would understand the message the Chief Executive wants to convey to the 95 million Filipinos, a vast majority of whom still live in poverty.

Secretary Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications for Strategic Planning and Development Office, whose Communication Group was in charge of drafting the SONA, said the President will try to show citizens where he wants to bring them under his watch.

“The President will talk about transforming society,” he said vaguely in a text message.

Carandang and deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte did not give any additional details about the SONA.

“It’s done. The President saw six drafts before it was finalized but we actually had about eight or nine drafts,” he said, refusing to speculate whether it might still have last-minute changes.

According to Valte, Aquino’s SONA before a joint session of Congress will just be like the one he delivered at the Ultra sports center in Pasig City during his first anniversary in office last June 30.

“There will be an audio-visual presentation. It will be in Filipino,” she said.