Some trivia about SONAs

Well, the SONA the other day was far from earthshaking. It told of many things that are not yet existing and it failed to discuss what is the real state of the nation. Whoever wrote that piece should learn more on the delicate and intricate art and science of reporting to the nation the real truths on the ground in an inspiring and empowering manner. Yesterday's was neither inspiring nor empowering. I would rather review the 85 SONAs from President Manuel L. Quezon to President BBM.

The president who delivered the most number of SONAs was PBBM's own father, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., numbering 20, from 1966 to 1986. He was an eloquent speaker, who could spontaneously insert some ad libs, whenever he found an opportunity to display his wide breadth of knowledge about world affairs, his mastery of law and his expertise in geopolitics.

He always spoke extemporaneously even if he had a complete script, to the delight of his astounded audience but to the great consternation of his speechwriters. FM even spoke before the Joint Session of the US Congress and also before the General Assembly of the United Nations and he impressed all his audiences. Even President Reagan was amazed by FM Sr.'s eloquence.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s SONAs were always declamation and oratorical pieces. They sounded so amazing although most of them were exaggerations of small achievements and understatements of huge problems and controversies. FM Sr. was the consummate master of hyperbole and sarcasm and he can weave emphatic and impactful phrases with impressive spontaneity. His mentors and advisers were great writers like the legendary Carlos P. Romulo, the genius Blas F. Ople, and the intellectual OD Corpuz. No one among the rest of the 17 presidents, not even Manuel L. Quezon, Manuel Roxas, or Sergio Osmeña Sr., or Carlos Garcia, all Bar topnotchers, could hold a candle to FM Sr. when it comes to eloquence and mastery of the written and spoken word. The son has to learn more.

The president with only one SONA was Sergio Osmeña Sr. who was the successor of Quezon but was dislodged by Jose P. Laurel who became a de facto president during the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945. Osmeña was also defeated by Manuel Roxas in 1946. The president who delivered the longest SONA was FM Sr. who delivered the 1969 SONA with no less than 29,335 words. That was the year that he was being challenged by Sergio Osmeña Jr. and FM Sr. had to outline in finer details his specific achievements considering that it was election year. The shortest SONA in terms of number of words was that by GMA in 2005 with only 1,551 words. The first and only SONA that was not delivered face-to-face before Congress was that of President Elpidio Quirino when he was rushed to the John Hopkins Hospital in the US.

The only SONA which was in Tagalog, from beginning to end, was that of President PNoy on July 25, 2011. Translations in English were delivered in real time for the diplomatic corps who are always in attendance based on internationally-accepted practice of world diplomacy. But it was President Manuel Quezon, the father of the national language, who first opened his SONAs with "Mga Kababayan" and later "Mga Kasama". The only times in our history when no SONA were delivered were during the presidency of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and Jose P. Laurel from 1941 to 1945 when the country was at war with and occupied by Japan. President Marcos took his oath in 1986 but did not deliver a SONA that year because he was ousted by the EDSA People Power Revolution.

The funniest SONA was that of President Erap in 2000 before he was ousted by GMA. The SONA with the most number of interruptions by applause were those of President FVR. His speeches were always inspiring and were call to action rather than those of GMA which were some monotonous enumerations of mundane mediocre accomplishments. Yesterday's SONA was a so-so speech and I was neither inspired nor empowered. I wish the speechwriters will improve next year and the years to come, under PBBM or any other.