TURNING POINT: A Sound Daydream

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 28 July) — “I know this in my mind, I know it in my heart, I know it in my very soul – THE STATE OF THE NATION IS SOUND.”

Thus, concluded PBBM in his assessment of the state of nation, during his first SONA.

Though he sounded cute in saying that, the state of the nation is not sound at all. He, in fact, enumerated a lot of things to fix in his 72-minute daydreaming last Monday afternoon to prove it.

His speechwriter fails.

The conclusion is not a sound bite; it does not correspond with the narration and with some of the glaring conditions impinging on the state being clearly avoided – the omnipresent drug menace, the raging disinformation, the incessant assault on human rights and freedom of expression and the muzzling of the press, among others.

We, therefore, cannot help but raise the following:

Have we already liquidated the drug problem and have already become a drug-free nation, such that the President no longer paid any attention to the problem?

Have we benefited from disinformation that we need no effort to control it?

Is the present administration comfortable with the existing issues on human rights, freedom of expression and of the press, such that they were not given a moment in the SONA?

The truth of the matter is that the nation is not in good shape.

The nation is rickety ship that agonizingly groans as it sails into a turbulent sea because of its excessive loads: the humongous debts, the havoc of corruption and patronage politics, the sickening inflation and the fast diminishing food supply that sap the vitality of its poverty-stricken crew.

It might be an escapist refuge, but, in fairness, it is good at times to daydream; we forget the pang of hunger that is gnawing at our stomach and the fear of dangerous living that daily demonizes our mind.

However incredulous his goals though, PBBM came out clean and decent in sharing it without antagonizing anyone; so unlike his immediate predecessor whose delivery was often warlike and was awash with vomit- cussing and dirty words.

All things considered, it is imperative for us to pray for the ship to weather the storm.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines.)