Sona: Beyond the scorecard

W hen it comes to the annual State of the Nation Address (Sona), we usually put our critical hats on, scoreboard at the ready. We take note of what was highlighted and what was downplayed. We get to see what national issues take priority and what legislative agenda is to come. Some would even count the number of applause and standing ovations. However, there was a moment in the President’s Sona that made me turn off my critical lens and instead feel a swell of emotions:

“Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars. We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield.”

We needed to hear that, especially amidst the mudslinging that has been the norm in our local politics. I went close to tearing up when I heard these words. It made me realize how starved we had been for a statesman’s speech, the kind of words that inspire us to act on behalf of the nation and spark the flame of national pride.

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Politics has been incredibly dirty these last few years, and the level of discourse found in legislative chambers has been abysmal. Public officials, especially lately, have been using their privilege speeches to blatantly defend themselves and advance their self-interests. Hypocrisy and hyperpartisanship have become mainstays. Self-awareness has gone out the window and their dignity along with it. They reach for viral soundbites even at the risk of being non sequiturs. Instead of listening to the people when they do react to such aggressive and duplicitous tactics, they double down and twist their words further.

When I heard those words last Monday, I realized how much of the political sludge had been weighing me down. As someone whose job requires me to stay current with politics and national concerns, I have unwittingly been exposing myself to psychological toxins.

Toxins aren’t just environmental or chemical. There are also behaviors we are exposed to that cause stress and strain on the body. Aggressive words and behaviors—even those that are not directed at us—can activate our fight-or-flight response. While critical for survival, prolonged alertness and hypervigilance can inhibit other systems in the body that allow us to relax, heal, and recover. This is partly why a child witnessing violent behavior is also considered child abuse; such behaviors not only hurt the target victim, but they also hurt those who are exposed to them.

Aggressive words aren’t limited to those that pertain to physical threats or direct insults. Aggressive invalidation can also cause a similar threat response in the body. When we are told that we cannot trust our experience, that we cannot trust what we see and hear, this can activate a combination of hypervigilance and self-doubt. When we doubt our own experience, how can we trust ourselves to discern what is safe? If we cannot do that, then we have no choice but to assume everything is dangerous and our body responds as such. This is how fake news, disinformation, and gaslighting can hurt us. When truth and experience get twisted, we lose trust in our capacity to discern truth. This is severely disorienting and exacerbates our body’s sense of threat.

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It is inevitable to encounter aggressive words and actions from time to time. It becomes pernicious only when it is relentless—when we are bombarded with aggression day in and day out. When we face it at work, during the commute, and in our news, it does not give us time to recover. The mind and body need respite from having to guard and protect themselves. We simply cannot be vigilant all the time and expect ourselves to be okay. Like an employee who is overworked, we are likely to burn out.

And so, when the President assured us that we are “noble, kind, and gracious,” it is as if we are given permission to not have to defend our goodness. When he says that “we are not liars, we are respectful, and we are dignified,” we allow ourselves to take a step back and remember that those who lie and disrespect—despite being public leaders—do not define who we are. These specific portions of his speech remind us that our humanity and integrity are intact, regardless of any external attacks.

“Sa mga pang-aalipusta, hindi tayo matitinag. Sa manlulupig, hindi tayo pasisiil.”

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Are there parts of the Sona that were wanting? Yes, but today is not the time for that. We have time to critically discern the policies and strategies (or lack thereof) later. There are certain points—that after some time, I realized he has failed to address, and some promises that did not come with a plan. For now, though, I’ll gladly take the positives of his speech and use it as a much-needed psychological breather. What I can do is hold him to the ideals he so eloquently expressed last Monday and trust it to be genuine and true.

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aatuazon@up.edu.ph