The Real State of the Nation

For the seven agonizing years, the Filipino people have been fed with fiction—ugly fiction from the mouth of a fictive president.

Thus we, the members of Dakila – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, present our own version of the State of the Nation.

The phrase “strong economy” has always oozed from Mrs. Arroyo’s lying mouth. But if “strong economy” means high gasoline prices, if “strong economy” means Filipinos falling in line for rice, if “strong economy” means thousands of Fillipinos leaving their families behind to take on dehumanizing jobs abroad, then we would rather have no economy at all.

The people cannot lie. We no longer need surveys to show that she is the worst Philippine president in recent times. Of course, Malacanang will mouth the same old tired cliché about the presidency not being a popularity contest.

That is actually insulting the intelligence of the Filipinos. To say such a thing is to treat them like mindless showbiz fans. But if the presidency is not a popularity contest as she says, then why does she feel the need to deface the landscape with her face? Why is her face on every streetcorner billboard? Why is her face on our trains and our tickets? Why is she on TV all the time in those ugly commercials?

The people have enough famous personalities to idolize. But their stomachs do not lie.

The people are hungry. The people are tired.

The people are tired of the same old lies.

Let us invoke the sense of dignity in each and every one of us.

We have suffered enough. We have the right to be noble.
We have the right to be angry.


-- DAKILA