Four Reasons Why Arroyo's 2008 SONA is the Worst

I just read the latest State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Mrs. Arroyo, and I can't believe the utter lack of substance and style. It is the epitome of a bad speech, especially because it is laden with bad transitions from English to Filipino and vice versa. Take a look.  

1. 'Because tough choices were made, kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas (the nation is moving at last).'

The kumikilos (moving) translation is obviously misplaced, as the apparent intention is to say 'the nation is moving forward'. The words 'umaangat' (literally rising but can also mean getting better) or 'gumiginhawa' (getting better) would have meant exactly what she intended to say. Unless she meant that the nation is moving - to get her removed, perhaps?

   

2. 'We were retiring debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our country’s development, habang namumuhunan sa taong bayan (while investing on the people).' 

Does she mean that the people are the drag in the country's development? I know, those are three separate things she was talking about, but it was unfortunate that she constructed the sentence that way, lumping investment on human resources with drag in the country's development. It just sounded wrong.

3. 'The result has been, on the one hand, ito ang nakasalba sa bayan (this saved the nation); and, on the other, more unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls.' 

The correct sentence should have been: The result has been, on the one hand, naisalba ang bayan (the nation was saved); and, on the other, more unpopularity for myself in the opinion polls.

The statement in its original form is especially confusing as there is no clear indication which of the preceding points was being referred to: the tough choices made, the shield around the country (Starwars?), the preparations made for the economic downturn (whatever these are?) or the wisdom of Congress (???).


4. 'Sinimula ng aking ama ang land reform noong 1963.'

Should have read 'sinimulan' as there is no sinimula word in Filipino.


Filipinos are unique in the English-speaking world because of our ability to shift from the local tongue to English without losing a beat. Speakers in other languages usually need to end the sentence before continuing in English. Not so for us. We can intersperse English and Filipino words without losing the intended meaning; and we can shift languages from phrase to phrase, as can be seen from the 2008 SONA. It therefore defies logic why the president failed miserably in this regard. She should have stuck with English.

Now I know why Arroyo is so unpopular - she can't communicate correctly what she really meant, especially in Filipino. It is not only her sneering, high-handed attitude that's alienating the masses, but her poor communication skills.

Read the full text of the SONA here.