The Philippine Online Chronicles

Reactions to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's 74-minute State of the Nation Address ranged from lukewarm to negative, with most pointing out that the president spent all the time either enumerating her achievements or taking swipes at her critics, without focusing on the problems that continue to plague the nation.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said there was “major disconnect between PGMA's speech and the reality being experienced by the Filipino people.”

“It was ‘glass half-filled’ speech with scant mention of the ‘glass half-empty’ part of the picture,” added Senator Francis Escudero. “There was no mention of corruption in government and the human rights situation.”

Other politicos questioned why much of the speech was devoted to addressing the president's critics.

“It’s unbecoming of the President… a cheap shot. I thought there should be no politics?” said Senator Pia Cayetano referring to earlier reports that the President's ninth SONA would not delve into politics.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago echoed the sentiments of other observers that the speech sounded more like a “campaign speech than a swan song.”

“The way that she was tearing into her potential opponents, it does not appear to me that she has given up a political career as of 2010,” she said.