The SONA that won't be delivered by the President
My countrymen, today I shall tell the whole truth in its purest form. I have no more fear for any political repercussion and I do not mind if some politicians, businessmen, and partisan sectors may feel agitated and provoked by the things that I am going to report to all Filipinos. I have started my administration with genuine intention to lead this country into the straight and narrow path. You, the people who elect Presidents every six years, have always hoped that a real change can be made to happen, despite the many obstacles that a lot of vested interests would place between the President and his honest intentions.
Today, I have to tell you that I have committed a lot of mistakes in the choices I made, especially in my appointments into some sensitive positions in government. I have entrusted certain highly technical posts in the hands of political pillars of my party because I have always believed that it is more important that my closest advisers and line managers should be trustworthy. Technical skills can be delegated but reliability cannot be. The results have proven to be costly. I regret my errors in the choice of key officials in highly sensitive posts. I had to appoint two secretaries to manage agriculture. I wish I still have time to rectify my mistakes.
Today, the DOTC is facing a lot of problems. Infrastructures are poor. Among the ASEAN 10 nations, our infrastructures are the worst. Our airports are very far from being world class. There were times that the roofs were leaking, the toilets were stinking, and the counters were overcrowded. Many tourists do not have enough spaces. The construction of skyways is delayed. The MRT and LRT are poorly managed. We have an energy and power problem. I put a former governor to head that department and I feel it was a mistake. The Agriculture Department, too, faces a lot of problems. Alcala could not do it alone, I had to name KIko.
In the defense of our territories, I feel that we should have been the first to construct a runway in Scarlborough because we were the first to land there many years ago, and I should have stationed a company of our best military officers in the Recto Reef. Today, our rather belated effort in The Hague appears to be desperate attempts at clutching at straw, because China will never recognize, much less participate in any arbitration proceedings. The BBL is also a big mistake. It was a grave faux pass to allow Malaysia to intervene in our internal affair, considering that we have an unresolved Sabah dispute with Kuala Lumpur.
I am also sad that while the economy has grown, the poverty of people and the problems of unemployment and underemployment have worsened under my administration. I am sorry that many of our workers abroad, especially the domestic helpers, are having dirty, difficult, dangerous, deceptive, and degrading jobs. Many of our OFWs are languishing in jails, dying in hospitals, and some have been raped, maltreated, and murdered. I am announcing today that effective immediately, I shall ban the deployment of DHs to all countries abroad. I shall recall some ambassadors, consuls, and labor attaches. I shall replace them with competent and committed diplomats.
I am also accepting the resignations of more than half of my cabinet. In the next six months, I am going to install unprecedented reforms in the economy, in foreign affairs, in national defense, labor administration, education, and in transportation and communications. I am increasing salaries -- tripling the compensation of teachers and doubling those of policemen and I am going to work with the Supreme Court in assessing the speed of case disposition. I shall ask the Ombudsman and the Chief Justice to fire all inept and dishonest judges. And I am running for vice president under Secretary Roxas to assure that all my reforms shall not be sabotaged by any unfriendly successor. And you shall be seeing another six years of me.
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