The gentle art of SONAs and sonatas

A sonata is a piece of instrumental music with notes designed to evoke emotions of love, affection, longings, and dreams that may transform into sadness and even deep sorrow. A SONA, on the other hand, is a serious report to the nation, which may either evoke a feeling of joy and faith in the leadership or irritation and anger.

Today, the president is going to deliver his third SONA and for sure, many varying emotions are going to be evoked. It also depends on the personal prejudices and preconceived notions by people of different stands and opinions. The presidential writers should be very adept at writing very difficult messages, being sufficiently experienced in crafting the SONAs. They need to write it in such a way that the messages shall be credible even if the figures are either bloated or minimized, whichever shall make the president and his administration look good. They are experts in telling lies embellished with semblances of truth.

Today's SONA is the 86th since President Manuel Quezon delivered the first one on November 25, 1935 under the Commonwealth government. Quezon delivered seven SONA’s, his last on January 21, 1941. President Sergio Osmeña Sr only had one SONA on June 9, 1945 since our country was invaded by Japan from 1941 to early 1945. President Manuel Roxas had three SONAs from 1946 to 1948 since he died while in office. His vice president, Elpidio Quirino had five from 1949 to 1953. Quirino was defeated by his own secretary of National Defense, Ramon Magsaysay who left the Liberal Party and ran with the Nacionalista Party. Magsaysay delivered four from 1954 to 1957. He also died in office. He was replaced by his vice, Carlos P. Garcia from Bohol who had four from 1958 to 1961.

Then Vice President Diosdado Macapagal of LP defeated Garcia, NP, in 1961, and DM delivered four from 1962 to 1965. President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. delivered 20 SONAs from 1966 to 1985. He was not able to deliver any in 1986 because he was ousted through the EDSA People Power Revolution. President Corazon Aquino had five SONAs from 1987 to 1991, and President Fidel V. Ramos delivered six from 1992 to 1997. President Joseph Estrada delivered three from 1988 to 2000. His tenure was shortened by the so-called EDSA II. President GMA delivered nine from 2001 to 2009. President Benigno Aquino III had six from 2010 to 2015. From 2016 to 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte had six SONAs. President BBM has delivered two SONAs and this is his third. We hope he can last up to 2028. His father had 20. I hope martial law won't happen again.

To me, the best writers of SONAs were those under FVR. His SONA’s were entitled "Reform, Change and Growth", "Let's Seize the Moment”, “The Best Is Soon To Come", "From Growth to Modernization", “Uniting For Peace and Development", and "The Challenges Still Ahead". Erap's best SONA’s were entitled "A Poverty-Free Philippines" and "Toward New Beginning" in 2000. Ironically, that was the year that his tenure was cut short by the rather controversial takeover by GMA. FM Sr.'s best SONA was in 1967 entitled "The Epic of Nation Building”. But I still like FVR's speeches more as they were inspiring and empowering. FVR's best writers included my good friends Executive Secretary Ruben Torres and DOLE Secretary Nieves Confesor.

I look forward to a good-sounding SONA this afternoon. More than the SONA and the sonata, however, is the true State of the Nation. Beyond the lures of SONA’s and sonatas, I wish the true state of the nation is really something that shows peace, stability, progress, and social justice. The people deserve no less.