Things To Do Aside From Watching the SONA

So, the Philippines’ State of the Nation Address by our beloved President is just around the corner, aye? How come I have no knowledge about this sought-after event?! I’m so gonna sue the compliant National TV! And to think I’m just too busy, maybe I can consider my ignorance as a joke, too.

noynoy_aquinoIn any case, the country’s SONA is actually a national report specifically designed to inform the country of the activities the President had undergone in order to enrich the quality of life in the country he serves. Simply put, it’s just a narrative report of his accomplishments and a presentation of his future plans to enhance the economic state of the Philippines. The reporting is good, as it is a form of transparency on the part of the government, as well as an informative story for the citizens of the state to be notified of progresses that they can’t see.

Why, we are in the Philippines. Where SONA sounds synonymous to campaigning, papogi schemes and a heck lot of TV coverage that deems fitting to a society where television acts as marijuana to the economically-deprived citizens of Pinas. It’s undeniably a famous Filipino vice that they keep on shoving down their throats.  But how can I blame them? Flips are so lazy in searching for other alternative sources of information. Oh, did I mention the word LAZY?

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY!
Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us.
Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider!
Learn more

Truthfully, there were instances when our teachers before required us to watch the SONA because “may quiz tayo bukas patungkol sa SONA ni Pangulong XXXXX”. That was one of the most frustrating requirement they ever handed down to us. Jot down those notes of improvement in our country, their future projects and all. But to my unlikely method of thinking, I saw other else.

The unnecessary drama, overrated commentaries and the freakin’ big deal of TV networks in the importance of covering such event. Every year, I really get mad because they will sacrifice the airing of some of my afternoon Animé sessions before those crappy dramas wreaked my TV watching career. I keep on asking myself “Bakit nila tinatanggal yong airing ng Bleach, Naruto at One Piece para lang panoorin ko ang ayaw kong panoorin sa oras na ito”? From there, my fancy in watching TV diminished. Not that I’m blaming the afternoon dramas, but I had enough BS of those.

Same goes with SONAs. Every year, they report about pagbabago, pag-unlad ng bansa and pagbaba ng insidente ng korapsyon. Every year they don’t fail with smiling, clapping, lying and more clapping inside the building called House of Representatives. And you should forgive me if ever I intentionally typed the venue wrong.  Seriously, I am busy in real life that I don’t even have the time remembering where is the true venue of the event.

But that’s just me and my fluctuating memory.

Through the years of consistent bullshit speeches, I had finally concluded that watching SONA is a BIG WASTE OF TIME. It’s like listening to a Justin Bieber song over and over again, but at the very least listening to Bieber’s songs is better than watching a delusional president tell lies. So instead of watching the same bullshit, here I present you several ways to wisely spend your time on the day of SONA.

1. It’s a good time to read some books. Pick up a novel, textbook or a comic book to read in that afternoon. You’ll learn more about what you had read than what you watched in TV. Or on a better way, study by going over your notes. As an ordinary student would say: Malay mo, may quiz. Or on a severe form, Prelims na ‘tol.

2. Meditate. Reflect about things that made a significant impact into your life, whether good or bad. Having a sound mind will actually make you more prepared for things that might come in the future.  See, just imagining about a zombie apocalypse – and what you should do in case – is more enjoyable, I guarantee.

3.  Have a quick stroll in a nearby park or mall. Aside from the benefit of burning your calories, you might as well see some friends or acquaintances that you haven’t saw for a long time. Say “hi” to people, too. Make some new park friends if you want, and bring your pets outside. Be a goddamned decent human being just for 2 hours, or until the sickening SONA media coverage is over within the day. Remember that the nostalgia lasts for 1-2 days, though. Enjoy whatever refreshments you bought in the mall.

4.  Play the sports you want to play. Call your playmates for a quick match of Basketball, Volleyball or Badminton. Have a betting mechanism. Whoever loses will treat refreshments to the winner. Enjoy whatever sport you are playing because it establishes camaraderie that TV cannot simply inculcate to you. You will also burn some stored fats, too. Just saying.

5. Or if you are not the type of person that can’t handle strenuous play, play computer or console games instead. Again, invite a friend to be your opponent. Whether be it League of Legends (oh, add me on LoL. The name’s tigailog), Grand Chase, DoTA, Tekken 6 or a simple Air Hockey match in an arcade, you’ll surely enjoy having a human life outside the airwaves of lies and propaganda.

6. Try drawing stuffs. And I mean, ANYTHING UNDER THE SUN. Draw the minions of Despicable Me 2, a portrait of a person, Gundam Wing, or the sunset at the Manila Bay (sans the floating debris at the shore though). Inspire yourself to be more than yourself in the way of the paintbrush. Remember that each stroke of the brush or pencil evokes your current state of mind. Be as calm as possible when you draw, though.

7. Speaking of Despicable Me 2, why not go to the movie theater and watch, well, movies! The roster of the films today are interesting. Just don’t make any spoilers about the movie Pacific Rim okay? Let me watch it first. If ever you can’t afford a movie ticket, or you don’t have the time to watch in a movie theater, go to a nearby sidewalk vendor and ask a copy of pirated CD of your favorite movies or TV series. And watch it at the comfort of your home. Make the timing perfect by firing your DVD players at exactly the same time when the retarded president makes its appearance at Batasang Pambansa.

8. Hone your talents in playing a musical instrument. Instead of watching TV, why not do an acoustic cover of your favorite mainstream song. Play a few notes from the song you are dying to study. Or if you are a newbie like me, ask help from someone who can play a guitar. Or a flute. Or a harp. Or a pair of Maracas. Indulge yourself to the sounds of music straight from the instruments. And please, restrain yourself from blaming your teacher if you don’t get the hang of playing the instrument of your choice. Strive hard to be a pro, not a retard.

9. If there is something I haven’t mentioned here that you would want to do, just do it. I mean really, you should do it. Whether you want to practice the art of sarcasm, go bungee jumping, or hoping that a lightning will strike a retarded president, do it. The country that you are living in is a free country after all. Just don’t tamper their Communist beliefs and intentions though. It’s just a secret between you and me, okay? Communism-driven citizens are at large. They want everything to be free but they don’t want to sacrifice in order for that need to be free. Then formulate  an equation basing from the logic you are devising now. Communism = idiocy? No, try again.

Lastly, as a parting gift to all of you, here’s a pic that will surely make yourself doubt about the current state of the Philippines (as being always stated by the schizophrenic visionaries of PNoy)

Cheers to you, Filipinas!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be reading my notes now. Better to load my brain about relevant information than worrying myself about this useless event if this SONA will go well. Prelims na, ‘tol.

(Photo courtesy of PixelOffensive)

65 Replies to “Things To Do Aside From Watching the SONA”

  1. Please don’t promote piracy. The President might find out and force his 188 monkeys to sign an impeachment complaint against you. Ayaw niya sa magnanakaw.

  2. There are at least 1,000,000 better things to do than watch this guys address. DO NOT waste your time watching it, better to use that time figuring out something productive to do and/or escape from the country.
    To predict the future all you need to do is look what is in your hands. To find out where you stand at any time in life, look down! it is simple, there is NO FUTURE in the country for anyone but the rich and people with political power. AGAIN, it is simple.
    If YOU are not rich and/or do not have any significant political power….LEAVE the country as fast as you can. NOTHING is going to change except faces and names and maybe a li’l bit of technology. Since 1965, not a single thing has changed, it may look as if something has…BUT NO, it hasn’t. if after 50 yrs. of the same shit being repeated over and over and over again is not enough proof that the people can expect more, much more, of the same horse-shit charade of a ‘system’ as well as more shit paying crap jobs imported for access to cheap labor and rigged markets for agricultural produce then there is no hope for you (and jumping off a tall building head first would be a good idea).
    However, if YOU realize that this ‘event’ will be as big a NON-event as anyone could possibly expect and NOTHING of any real value will come out of it then there is some hope for YOU and an escape is still possible from that ‘paradise-gone-wrong-somewhere’ country.
    Where is the Virtual Vigilante when the country needs him?

  3. How come “Have some really rippin SEX’, is not on the
    “Things to do list”(besides watch that useless event)? I mean, hey, might as well have some fun, right?
    YIPPEE!

    1. I didn’t add that, though. It’s either I forgot to include it or I’m more worried about minors reading this post. Either way, it strikes a bell to those Noytards, isn’t it?

  4. This year’s sona is such a bad timing for me since its date is my birthday. But that aside, I’d rather do what I always do everyday instead of watching that time wasting propaganda which is nothing but false promises: play video games and listen to my favorite music.

        1. You’re spouting more bullcrap because of one thing: YELLOW PROPAGANDA.

          Your loss. 😀

        2. Nope, YOU are a load of bullcrap.
          Your name just screams “I choose to be a stupid yellow zombie with no logic nor brains”

    1. You seem to have conveniently forgotten that most of your stupid president’s promises were forgotten already like him giving up smoking, implementing the FOI bill.

      3 years had already passed and your president has utterly failed to fix all of the problems in this country that popped up after marcos had left the country.
      Don’t give us that bullshit that it is still gloria’s fault since your president is the one sitting in malacanang now.

      1. 3 years have past but there are 3 years remaining. You should wait for it to be over before you finalize.

        1. Oh please from rappler again? Don’t you have any more reliable sources vincensus ignoramus? You fail!

        2. Corruption perception is a PERCEPTION – its just an interpretation but necessarily true! It just shows that BS Aquino’s propaganda machine is effective on Juan Bogoks perception. Eh kung naniniwala nga kayo sa telenobela eh pano pa kaya yong opinion ng paboritong nyong celebrity newscaster? It must be a gospel to you then..

        3. You think that your president would still last another 3 years? I believe that your president will have a hard time surviving after the way that he basically handed over mindanao on a silver platter to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The people won’t be fooled anymore once the whole bangsamoro thing backfires like dynamite on your president’s face.

    2. Since ABS CBN’s Aquino Promises switch to mid term “review”, I checked the previous web archive on 6/27, and he still has alot of “in progress”.

      http://web.archive.org/web/20130627174648/http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/aquino-promises

      Now, to summarize the data for you, using my skills as web developer, I checked how the sites sumamrizes the tracker and I saw this xml data file

      http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/aquinopromises_chart/progressbar_aquinopromises/progressbar_data1.xml

      And here are the summation of President’s progress.

      To be done: 31
      In Progress: 84
      Stalled: 2
      Done: 9

      How will you interpret the data, given he’s in position for three years.

      An’yare?

      1. Looks like I was right all along.
        So, do you still insist that your president is doing something?
        hmm? Mr. Bida TANGA-milya?

        1. He may yet be crucified for giving away the Philippines to a terrorist organization during this past weekend’s talks with the MILF in Malaysia.

  5. Definitely won’t be watching that SONA.
    I would rather be doing something else(like working) than listen to stupid propaganda that only gullible people like “bida tangamilya” here would swallow hook,line and sinker.

  6. Instead of watching the SONA, you could post a status update on Facebook about an issue dear to your heart or enter a comment on GRP. 😉 Convincing one of your few hundred friends to take the issue/s seriously using social media is more productive and a far greater possibility than anything that might come out of the president’s speech.

        1. Every Filipino? Like all Filipino nationwide? Where do you get that delusion? From your ass?

        2. @bida kapamilya:

          Thanks to your comments, you’ve proven to everyone that you are indeed BRAINWASHED.

          Accept it or go home. 😀

  7. an abs-cbn reader survey gives pnoy aquino 2 out of 10 for his first 3 years, in terms of economy,jobs,reform
    caradangs trolls will be text blitzing next week to manipulate the figures.
    overwhelming verdict – noynoying buffoon pnoy has failed miserably.
    the people have spoken

        1. Yes because he may be one of the greatest statesman of the country based on the pulse of the people and the improving economy. I hope his legacy will continue.

        2. You mean it’s coming from the yellow nazi zombies, noytards, hepatards and the likes of you vincensus ignoramus. Hindi kami mga uto-uto tanga.

        3. Fact: Only Yellow Zombies like you would say that Noynoy is a great statesman but in reality he wasn’t due to his stupidity and incompetence.

          I’m positive that those who gave the lower score are

          1. Aquino realists
          2. Pro-progress

          TBH, Noynoy and even Yellow Zombies like you are totally WRONG about corruption. 😀

        4. Face it, bida TANGAmilya, your propaganda is useless here.
          You still haven’t realized how incompetence is also a sign of corruption.
          You guys really should just give up since you are just reduced to posting severely flawed propaganda which are very easy to destroy.

          Your tears are very delicious
          TROLL HARDER

      1. that does not mstter. The ‘people’ have the right to hate whoever they want to hate.
        and CORRUPTION? HA! whatta load of crap that survey is.
        ONE case in point, the LTO is supposed to regulate vehicle emmissions so carbon dioxide levels coming out of vehicles is ‘acceptable’. Forget about how badly your eyes burn on any given night from the smoke coming out of the ‘rambling out-houses-on-wheels’ jeepneys that clog every street in the HELL-HOLE cities of the country. BUT just take a look at the trail of black smoke that is streaming out of the tail-pipes of these ‘shit-boxes’. People are getting PAID to pass these vehicles inspections. THAT is just one case of RAMPANT CORRUPTION.
        Go to ANY 1st world country and you will not see such PIECES OF SHIT clogging/polluting the streets of those countries cities.
        it could be stopped, but it is not.

      2. Pnoy aquino

        After 3 years he has shown the world he is
        As sharp as a bag of hammers.
        As sly as a chinaman in the grass.
        As truthful as a forked tongue.
        As lazy as a sloth on diazepam.
        As interesting as watching paint dry.
        As reliable as a hundred broken promises.
        As subtle as a 100 peso whore.
        As dynamic as a damp squib.

        The gay pnoy leads up the rear in so many ways, but is good for a laugh. He has a comedians face that only his mother could love.

        The masses now laugh at the emperor and his new clothes, but old lies – not a pretty sight.

        8 out of 10 filipinos think pnoy has served the country badly.
        His legacy – noynoying and propaganda whilst his KKK cheat and steal, and his sister ballys cruz and her obnoxious husband.

  8. Makita ko pa lang yung picture niya and the way he speak sumasakit na ang bangs ko! kaya I rather want to read his speeches than to watch him on television.

        1. So what? At least he is still working hard as president which gave us high GDP in the past quarters.

        2. Iyan ka na naman sa kalokohang GDP mo e. Again you can’t fool us with that you virus. Running out of amunition again eh vincensus ignoramus? Are you crying now? Please fill my glass with your tears. They’re tasty.

      1. Pusong mamon pagdating sa kkk niya pero pusong bato pagdating sa mga political enemies niya na mas mahusay sa kanya.

        At ngayon, mukhang sasabit na ang pangulo mo sa peace talks sa MILF.

        Isip isip muna boy bago ka magpost ng walang kwentang propaganda.

      2. Nah, you’re getting it wrong. TBH, only fools and idiots like you would believe in the Aquino Magic and Hype. And secondly, high GDP doesn’t matter because those numbers can be manipulated, especially that PNoy hired and payed a foreign company in order to tell everyone about the high GDP and stuff. Just in order to make things better.

        Can you tell me how is cool on being DELUSIONAL? 😀

      3. “Pusong mamon” parang beki ganoon? butangera lang pero walang ginagawa, mahilig sa showbiz ganoon ba? Now I know 😀

      4. congrats, sa galing ng presidente mo, tumaas ang halaga ng pamasahe ko sa loob lng ng tatlong taon. thank you po!

    1. Trolls and frauds like “bida TANGAmilya” should just go kill themselves because they’re not doing a good job of convincing us here.

      They should just go admit themselves at a mental hospital along with their bald boss.

  9. i bet they were ordinary people either without a job or struggling to survive and fed up of empty promises, rising inequality and increased corruption.
    they are just stating their ooinion and the facts speak for themselves.
    sws/pulse asia surveys which will no doubt come out next week wont change the reality.
    nor will mindless trolls and sycophants
    pnoy gets 2 out of 10. epic fail.
    tick, tick
    time is running out for the moron

    1. Three years is a long time, and can FEEL like a life-time in the life of the poor.
      at the 2 yr. mark, something will happen that will prompt a call for what the IDIOT media call ‘Cha-Cha'(Charter change,LOL!=’Cha-CHA’, LOL!)and calls will be made for a 2nd Aquino term OR someone (BAM-BAM, Kris ??? etc,etc…) from the family hailing from Tarlac will appear (‘just in the nick of time, Thank God!’) to continue the ‘charade’. just watch.
      it is as predictable as the day is long, and the people fall for it every time!OR the election is rigged OR BOTH!
      time is running out? MAYBE, but for WHO?

  10. The grand irony of PH life:

    Claims that they are the best, quality of life is going up, prices are going down, president is doing its job properly. But look around you.

    Not even a troll will change reality. Stop the propaganda, dude. Why not try #1 in my list for a change in your IQ? I’m sure Mr. Carandang paid you thousands and yet you can’t afford to buy a dictionary to inculcate some words to your feeble brain.

    1. We are still rotting.. Deep inside, we all know it.. At the back of our minds, it’s there..

      We just don’t want the truth shoved in our face especially by foreigners.

      It’s like humiliating your sibling and laughing about it but when others do it, you’d want to punch them in the face.

      And as long as the same family names own the seats of power, we will never get significantly better.

      Maintaining routine and expecting change??

      Get Real Philippines…

  11. One “sic” notable accomplishment of Mr. Aquino is the balkanization of Mindanao. Yes ladies and gentlemen, we stand to lose our territories in Mindanao. What is worse is that the MILF gets more wealth sharing than the GRP. The acts of the BIFF are not only good for propaganda but are intended to portray the impunity of this known ally of the MILF. No punishment and no chastisement while they go on selective rampage. Will Malaysia interfere more in Mindanao? They have generals and staff of the IMT operating in Mindanao. What next? Now I know why the war will never end in Mindanao.

    1. Wanna bet Malaysia will get a slice of that wealth sharing scheme one way or the other? Who knows, maybe they’ll even annex ARMM in the furure..

  12. By the way… Who gave the MILF the power to be the sole representative of all Muslims in Mindanao? Looks like there was no public consultation as the still armed group continues talking phony peace in Mindanao. Will the SONA convince us of this very apparent sellout in Mindanao?

Leave a Reply to Baptized w/o My Consent Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.