Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr delivers his first State of the Nation address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 25, 2022. (Photo by Aaron Favila / POOL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — During President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros took the attention of many netizens: She was not clapping when the President was introduced.
And netizens love her for it.
Some netizens posted clips of her at the House of Representatives session hall, refusing to clap when the President was introduced before he started his speech.
my girl not clapping, korique behavior 🤭 pic.twitter.com/OukmJiQloQ
— chanty 𑁍 (@ainttheresia) July 25, 2022
“My girl not clapping, korique [correct] behavior 🤭,” one netizen wrote.
https://twitter.com/ishdanica_/status/1551500212383887360?s=21&t=cMAy6cTT-R9-IFRKs-z9jg
“I believe in sen. risa hontiveros supremacy 🛐,” another one tweeted.
LOOK: Sen. @risahontiveros, the one of the two members of the minority in Senate, DID NOT CLAP as Marcos, Jr. was introduced to speak. ✊🏽 pic.twitter.com/IoMC3hRQxI
— Carwyn Candila 🇵🇸 (@Carwyn_Candila) July 25, 2022
Sen. Risa Hontiveros is seen to not applaud Marcos Jr.' introductory. #SONA2022
She's a fvcking mood!!! ✊🏻 pic.twitter.com/Z1iGOhIWP0
— Kyle Venturillo (@kventurillo) July 25, 2022
“Sen. Risa Hontiveros is seen to not applaud Marcos Jr.’ introductory. #SONA2022 She’s a fvcking mood!!! ✊🏻” a netizen also wrote.
Marcos may have Lower and Upper House supermajority, but there will always be that one woman who refuses to clap. More power to Senator Risa Hontiveros. #SONA2022 https://t.co/Ynl8azIibq
— Ash Presto 💜 (@sosyolohija) July 25, 2022
my girl not clapping, korique behavior 🤭 pic.twitter.com/OukmJiQloQ
— chanty 𑁍 (@ainttheresia) July 25, 2022
“SEN. @risahontiveros NOT GIVING HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! I LOVE YOU PO SO MUCH! STAND STRAIGHT & SLAY 🫡🫡🫡💗#SONA,” one netizen tweeted.
https://twitter.com/spacewalkkks/status/1551482747427758080?s=21&t=cMAy6cTT-R9-IFRKs-z9jg
Some of the tweets gained thousands of likes and retweets.
In an interview with reporters after the Sona, Hontiveros said she supports some of the measures mentioned by Marcos, such as the mention of renewable energy sources and social protection for vulnerable sectors like solo parents.
However, she said she hoped there were mentions of addressing corruption.
“Sana may anti-corruption measures at saka yung concern para sa mga iba pang issue tungkol sa governance at saka demokrasya,” she said.
(I hoped there were mentions of anti-corruption measures and the concerns on several issues on governance and democracy.)
Hontiveros is one of only two minority members in the Senate, alongside Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Meanwhile, 22 senators were aligned with the majority bloc, while two — siblings, Senators Alan and Pia Cayetano — were “independent.”