President Benigno S. Aquino III talks with Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
President Benigno Aquino III has always been honest in delivering the State of the Nation Address (Sona), Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said on Monday.
Although noting that he has not yet read Aquino’s speech, Coloma said the president’s last Sona would be an opportunity for him to converse with the Filipino people.
“Ang masasabi ko lang, the president has always been truthful in his Sona. Lahat ng sinasabi niya ay pawang katotohanan (Everything he says is the truth),” Coloma said in an interview with ANC Headstart.
Coloma said the Sona would also give hope to Filipinos, especially the less fortunate ones, who needed motivation to move forward with their lives.
“At the end of it, he’s one who would want to convey hope. Importante kasi ‘yun, pagkatapos nilang marinig, siyempre dapat naman ‘yung upbeat sila at mayroong tinitignan sa kinabukasan na mas maganda (This is important because after hearing the Sona, they need to be upbeat and have something good to look forward to in the future),” he said.
Asked regarding the treatment of police officers to protestors and demonstrators, Coloma said it would be unfair to judge the president’s desire to reach out to more people based on the authorities’ handling of Sona protests alone.
“Isandaang milyon ang Pilipino. Masyado namang literal ‘yun kung ituturing lang natin ‘yung mga nagra-rally (There are millions of Filipinos; it would be too literal to just focus on those who are rallying),” he said.
READ: Militant in Sona rally ‘hit with police protective gear | Human rights militants who mauled cops to face raps | Sona cops, protesters cool down in thunderstorm
“Siguro naiiba siya (Aquino) sa lahat sa atin kasi he has the perspective of the person who is really on top of everything. Tayo kasi nakikita rin natin lahat, pero not quite the perspective of the president (Aquino is different from us because he has the perspective of the person who is really on top of everything. We also see everything, but not quite the perspective of the president),” Coloma added.