the state of this nation

The President aspires for one country, but according to whose terms? Hers? That is unacceptable. To make matters worse, she is pushing forward with her economic reform packages, when most of these have only resulted in taxpayers shelling out more money to prop up an ailing government precisely because of her continued stay in office.

And now GMA has discarded her preference for a constitutional convention in favor of the exclusive and opaque constituent assembly to revise the constitution. But to what end? At this critical juncture, amid this political crisis, changing the form of government will not solve the country’s problems. And certainly not with politicians calling the shots.

GMA’s SONA threatens to divide the country even further. Her ‘business as usual’ posturing belies the shaky foundations on which her Presidency rests. People are out in the streets demanding nothing less than her ouster, and all she has to show for is a promise to prioritize an anti-terrorism bill? It is frightening.

The impeachment complaint is being reproduced in the Secretary-General’s office in the House basement while GMA delivers her SONA on the floor above. And outside the House of Representatives, communities, farmers and workers are all united in their stance never to see GMA deliver another SONA next year. Her SONA has not given her the exoneration she seeks, because in blaming the system, GMA has pathetically attempted, but failed to dissociate herself from the very system, which centers around her.

If this system is to be changed, then she should be the first to go.