SEARCH FOR TRUTH By Ernesto M. Maceda (The Philippine Star) July 29, 2014

President Benigno Simeon Aquino delivered his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday in the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa. While he tried very hard to paint a rosy picture of SONA, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. The real State of the Nation is a failed anti-poverty program, with more than 50% still experiencing hunger. IBON Survey reports that 3 out of 5 Filipinos cannot afford to buy food. The real State of the Nation is a 7% unemployment rate, with 3 million unemployed and 10 million underemployed. The President has failed to create 10 million jobs he promised upon assuming office in 2010. The real State of the Nation is the continuing corruption in many government offices, including Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Corrections, and Bureau of Customs (BOC) among others. Opinion ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The real State of the Nation is the twin Supreme Court (SC) decisions, declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) unconstitutional. The real State of the Nation is an active New People’s Army (NPA) insurgency, with raids and clashes happening from Quezon and Bicol to the Visayas and Mindanao. The real State of the Nation is an active Abu Sayyaf rebellion in Sulu and Basilan and a Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) insurgency in Maguindanao and North Cotabato. The real State of the Nation is the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) not yet submitted to Congress. The real State of the Nation is the upsurge of crimes, with murders, kidnappings, carjackings, and holdups happening daily all over the country, and increasing, especially in Metro Manila. The real State of the Nation is an active conflict with China, asserting its ownership of territories in the West Philippine Sea. The real State of the Nation is thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in harm’s way in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Israel, Sudan, Malaysia, and Singapore. The real State of the Nation is the failure to achieve rice sufficiency, with another 1.3 million metric tons (MT) to be imported this year, with commercial rice prices up from P42 to P52. The real State of the Nation is the price of garlic is P300 per kilo. The real State of the Nation is the failure to rehabilitate Yolanda-damaged areas after nine months. Also, the failure to complete the housing program for Zamboanga City victims of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) siege. The real State of the Nation is 47.6% of Filipinos die without being attended to by doctors. The real State of the Nation is continuing high maternal mortality rate and rising Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases. The real State of the Nation is the Ombudsman’s delay in filing a 2nd batch of PDAF scammers and the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failing to charge a 3rd batch of PDAF violators. The real State of the Nation is one hundred people died and P10.8 billion worth of damage by Typhoon Glenda. The real State of the Nation is the continuing accidents at South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Commonwealth Avenue, EDSA, and other highways. The real State of the Nation is 300,000 coconut trees destroyed by cocolisap. The real State of the Nation is P350 million worth of defective army boots unsuitable for combat. The real State of the Nation is no Aquino ally or KKK (kaklase, kakampi at kabarilan) was charged, in connection with the PDAF scam. The real State of the Nation is a P237 billion DAP. The real State of the Nation is the failure to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill. The real State of the Nation is no Cabinet revamp in four years. The real State of the Nation is the continuing failure to solve the power crisis. The real State of the Nation is several impeachment complaints filed in the House of Representatives against President Aquino. The real State of the Nation is the lowest net approval rating of only +25 percent recorded by the President in four years. Sereno will not appear Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno will not appear before the House committee on justice to explain the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) or the so-called judiciary “pork barrel,” according to SC Spokesperson Theodore Te. Representatives Niel Tupas and Rodolfo Fariñas filed two separate bills seeking to abolish the JDF, which was created by P.D. 1949 signed by late President Ferdinand Marcos in 1984. Tidbits Pangasinan 1st District Congressman Jesus Celeste, Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste and 9 Pangasinan mayors have pledged their support to former Congressman Mark Cojuangco’s bid to run for governor. The 100 millionth baby, named Chonalyn Sentino, was born at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. Congratulations to 17-year-old Princess Mary Superal, for winning the US Girls’ Junior Golf Championship at Flagstaff, Arizona. Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla boycotted the SONA. The 55,000-seat Philippine Arena of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was finished in 2 years and 9 months. Maybe INC executives should be asked to serve as consultants of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).