State of the Nation Address (SONA)

Since the time of president Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino there was always this yearly report they make for the nation to know the state of our country. Before, even if the Martial Law was still ongoing, President Marcos still gave his SONA. So it became a tradition for us to always hear the yearly report of our president.

July 22, 2013 President Benigno Aquino III gave his State of the Nation Address. As usual he reported the achievements of his administration. In education, agriculture, preparation for calamities, Social Security System to police behavior and many more, P-Noy told us that there was a big change of improvement in our government and nation.

               

Since our government is correcting all the bad projects of the last administration. It is really hard for now to expect that we would wake up considering our country a tiger nation. I have realized that funds for the armed forces of the Philippines cannot support our defenses like having fighter jets. Our president explained that the aerial defenses needs more than 30 billion pesos to make up a full squadron. A squadron is not enough. Facilities for navigation or radar bases are not included in that 30 billion pesos.

                 

I salute our president for investing the funds of AFP for the housing of our policemen and military personnel.  He said that if we want to make our AFP to have enough naval and aerial defenses like ships and fighter jets we would end up spending all our money on this things and nothing will be left for our needs during calamities and education for example.

Our only hope now is for having peaceful ties with big countries like China and America. Right now, because of the issue of China claiming that they own some parts in our territory. For us to survive we need the help of our allied nations like the United States. However, we need to start building a foundation for our countries defenses and it will be continued by other generations.

Letter to Our President

Dear Mr. President,

                I am Raymund a student in Ilocos Sur National High School. I am also a leader like you but I only hold a club in our school. I am a person who likes reading books and watching movies. I am one of those persons who wants change and freedom in our country.

                After watching the movie Abraham Lincoln: the Vampire Hunter, I’ve visualized what kind of leader we need for this country to progress and be free from ropes that ties us with big countries like China and the United States. A leader that wants every citizen to be treated fare. No one is richer in his eyes and no one is poor because of his actions and plans for them.

                Mr. President I want to congratulate you for doing a good job. These past years you served in our country you’ve done changes that improved the status of it. Abused government employees were given disciplinary actions. The former president accused for plundering is now in a hospital arrest. I think the nation is now in that right road you always say we need to set foot.

                Although you’ve done a good job in punishing abuse government employees, the freedom of our country is still unreachable. Many of us are really craving for freedom. The rights of children and women are still being abused by persons who don’t have hearts. Companies that are claiming that they own a portion of land in this certain place but the real truth is that the land was given by the ancestors of the settlers in that place. Some of this settlers are part of an ethnic group. Foreigners that are settling in our country that build businesses are sometimes abusing our natural resources. I’ve always loved the agenda of one of our past presidents which is “Filipino First.”

                Why is it that if other countries needs our help our country is immediately giving millions of money for calamity victims in that country? If our fellow countrymen is in need of help because of a disaster that struck their place, the action of the government is slow.

                I now actions are better than words, but what if you inspire your fellow politicians and countrymen to change by using both words and actions. You said before that we are your “boss” then find a solution to problems that needed to be solved right now. Use your time to lead. Share the same dream in making our nation a better one. Let everyone know that we need to be kind to each other.  

“Hunger and Nutrition, Let Us End it Together!”

                Celebrating the nutrition month yearly became a tradition for the department of education and a successful action for the National Nutrition Council (NNC). Different themes with one vision, which is to improve nutrition in our country. This month of July is going to be a month full of fun, learning and improving skills to students like us.

                When I was still a kid, I feel so blessed that I was born in a country rich in natural resources. Until one day I woke up and suddenly knew the true state of our nation. People in rural areas are taking chances in going to big cities for work but only to find out that in the end they would end up on the streets begging for food. This has been one of the true reason why there is hunger and lack of nutrition in our country.

Encountering the theme for this year’s nutrition month for the first time made me think that it is not very interesting to hear. As days passed by, I became interested onto knowing the aims of this year’s nutrition month. After knowing the aims I reflected for minutes and concluded that we really need to act now. Even if we are only students we can encourage government agencies, NGOs, private sectors, civil society organizations and communities to contribute in fighting hunger and malnutrition.

For so long, our government has been trying to solve hunger issues in our country and it is not easy. However we need to advocate now for stronger political actions. Local government units sometimes lack in their services when it comes to health and nutrition of their community. We really need to wake them up. We all deserve to have a good nutrition and as citizens we need also to help/do our part.

A man once said to me; if you are blessed don’t be selfish, help those who are in need there will come a time that your actions will be followed by others. Then he added: because others followed your community will improve, soon the whole nation.