In an emotional speech that took a little over an hour, President Benigno Aquino III gave his fifth State of the Nation, saying he is still fighting to better the economy and fighting for good governance, as he dismissed critics of his administration.
“For as long as we are together and serving as each other’s strength, we will prove that the Filipino is worth dying for, ‘the Filipino is worth living for, and if I may add, the Filipino is worth fighting for,'” the President said, echoing his late father’s famous line.
Aquino hinted that some of his enemies may want him dead, although he did not say if there was any real evidence if certain groups are actually plotting to assassinate him. He added that he is now on his second life after he survived an ambush attack during a coup d’etat in 1987.
“And if that time comes that my second life ends, I can say that with all that we have achieved, I am contented. I am contented because I am sure that even if I die, there are a lot of people who will continue
what we are now charting. Maybe that is really my role: to start this reform,” he said.
The President also said his critics, whom he dismissed as belonging to the minority and “living in their own world and reality.” aim to retain the status quo and bring down his administration.
“While we see concrete changes in our nation, all the more that they attack me. While the benefits of our reform program become clearer, our critics have slimmer chances of fooling the public, that is why
they sow doubt on the minds of our people. They are desperate,” Aquino said.
Earlier in his speech, the President played up several accomplishments, including the benefits reaped through the discredited Disbursement Acceleration Program and appealed to the public to ensure that his reform agenda is continued even beyond 2016.
