
MANILA, Philippines – It’s that time of the year again!
President Rodrigo Duterte once again delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 23, and as always, the Twitterverse was abuzz with reactions and memes.
From funny tweets to direct reactions to the president’s speech, here are some tweets that highlight netizens’ takes on the 2018 SONA:
Who's up for the challenge? #SONA2018 pic.twitter.com/wd1kzTWWAk
Last year’s SONA drinking game is back, but netizens seem to have found healthier alternatives: a SONA bingo game and a SONA workout challenge.
This year’s SONA Bingo card pic.twitter.com/fTkLlZTI6C
Now netizens could test just how much they already know about the president without getting a dreaded beer belly.
Burn those carbs from the 2018 SONA Drinking Game
Do 1 for every mention of:
Jumping jack – "Putangina", drugs, "Patayin"
Push-up – Martial Law, China, Corruption
Squat – Kadamay, Human rights
Burpee – Catholic Church, "I will resign"
30 second plank – Sereno, Joma Sison, Leni
When it comes to SONA fashion, Senator Nancy Binay proved to be an annual favorite by netizens, who were waiting to see what she has to wear this year.
INAANTAY KO SI NANCY BINAY GUYS KAYA MOTIVATED AKO MANOOD NG SONA HAHAHAHA
href=”https://twitter.com/emilioxolivo/status/1021216403565600768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>July 23, 2018
Waiting for nancy binay memes
— Charlotte Bargamento (@versachaaa) July 23, 2018
What really excites me today is
to see @nancybinay photos and memes. #SONA
I might just vote for Nancy Binay so I can see more of her SONA outfits
But the senator seemed to have already learned from past SONAs and wore a simple powder blue gown, impressing netizens.
You continue to impress me, Ma’am Nancy Binay. Simple is indeed beautiful. Very elegant and sophisticated. Keep it up po Madam! https://t.co/kbW4OjGYWC
Infairness! Ang ganda ni Sen. Nancy Binay. Ganda ng gown, bagay sa kanya. Finish na! #SONA2018
Well, not all netizens:
Nancy Binay is ready for war#SONA2018 #WakaSONA pic.twitter.com/agrS6Y1urc
Grabe kayo sakin 🙁 #SONA2018 pic.twitter.com/8a8yQvry68
Just before the SONA, netizens also noticed this glaring spelling error on the government’s accomplishment report:
Word of the day: administation pic.twitter.com/rxjpU4GgnQ
— Ederic Eder (@ederic) July 23, 2018
Stop SHAIMING the Duterte ADMINISTATION
— JP Tanyag (@dumidyeypee) July 23, 2018
Of course, there’s also every student’s concern:
kaya siguro sinuspend yung klase para manood tayo nang sona tas gagawa ng reaction paper pic.twitter.com/ezTcn8AGw3
— ً (@etherealljk) July 23, 2018
Netizens also wonder, even in the SONA, does Filipino time apply?
pati sona filipino time
pdu30: 35 mins lang sona ko
(But wait anong oras kaya sya magsisimula??? Hahahaha)#SONAlokoNa
next year pa ata ang start ng SONA
— venisse (@venissemarie) July 23, 2018
Of course, an event as big as the SONA wouldn’t be complete without ‘hugot’ lines from Filipino netizens with too many feels.
Hugot-SONA – Curated tweets by MovePH
Reactions to the president’s speech
Beyond ‘hugot’ and memes, however, netizens also went online to express their thoughts as they listened to the president’s speech.
Critics of the president online were quick to react to the president saying that his concern is “human lives,” not “human rights.”
So apparently he's starting this with a futile justification of his bloody drug war. He says, "Your concern is human rights, mine is human lives." What of the lives of the 6,542 people his administration's campaign has killed? The 70-something youth who are casualties? #SONA2018
— Janin Volante (@thesunwontset) July 23, 2018
"Your concern is human rights,
— Seth Pagulayan (@_sethdp) July 23, 2018
mine is human life."
ANO??? DI KO MARINIG???? TAMA BA YANG NARINIG KO???
[3rd photo is owned by Rappler]#SONA2018#WakaSONA #UnitedPeoplesSONA pic.twitter.com/0Syc2vFfkV
"Your concern is human rights, my concern is human life." — PRRD, SONA 2018
— Angel Locsin (@miriamdre) July 23, 2018
ANO DAW? Lol. A life without exercising its "rights" is not purposeful at all; it is mere breathing.
OUR CONCERN IS HUMAN RIGHTS, RIGHTS TO LIVE IS A PART OF HUMAN RIGHTS- you can’t say that your concern is human life IF YOU’RE LITERALLY THE ROOT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY.
— IRIS (@irisvicencio) July 23, 2018
PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY FIGHTING FOR THOSE WHO YOU TOOK THE RIGHTS OF, DUTERTE. #SONA2018
Netizens also hit Duterte mentioning Special Assistant to the President Bong Go and Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque during his speech, saying that it’s a form of campaigning.
OPS MAY BONG GO PLACEMENT NA, BOTTOMS UP NA SA DRINKING GAME GUYS
— papi (@joseph_cuhhhhh) July 23, 2018
BAKIT MAY BILLBOARD SA LOOB NG BATASAN. AY, SI BONG GO PALA TALAGA 'YON. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/u7Th57Jm7Y
— Hassle Hurna (@ehcelhurns) July 23, 2018
PRODUCT PLACEMENT KAY BONG GO, SHOT!!
— des (@supergirldes) July 23, 2018
Kilig na kilig siguro tumbong nina Bong Go at Harry Roque na napuri sila ni Du30. Yiiieee nakampanya na sila nang slight… #SONA2018
— Ate Gurl (@LvnLaVidaLora) July 23, 2018
#SONA2018 Duterte mentioned Bong Go and Harry Roque. Aga ng campaign.
— Bib M (@bibmacasaet) July 23, 2018
Ang #SONA2018 speech ni Duterte ay isang mahabang political campaign speech para kay Bong Go at Harry Roque. Lol.
— Kiko (@kikocorpuz) July 23, 2018
Many were also surprised that the president, known for preferring ad-lib speeches, read a prepared speech for most of his address.
Let's commend #PGong for following the script for #SoNA2018. I just wish he mentioned when will the 3rd telco be available. Or what he's doing about #MMtraffic
— Elmer Domingo (@elmer0224) July 23, 2018
The effort to stick with his script is unreal I am impressed #SONA2018
— loweyn♡ (@lorrainemariedc) July 23, 2018
We have plummeted too low down the hell hole, that we are actually amazed that our President is following his script.#UnitedPeopleSONA #SONA2018 #SONAlokoNa
— Ash Respeto (@athenaanona) July 23, 2018
Admit it. Na-disappoint ka nung hindi siya nag-off script. #SONA2018
— Camille Conde (@Cam_Conde) July 23, 2018
wowiee sumunod sa script si duterte
— elocin (@nicolegesti) July 23, 2018
To everyone’s surprise, the president, also known for curse-laden speeches, also refrained from cussing:
Huh
— Jay Lopez (@Intelli_Jay) July 23, 2018
Duterte hasn't cussed yet
This is surreal#SONA2018
Here are more reactions to Duterte’s speech:
SONA Reactions – Curated tweets by MovePH
What are your thoughts on the president’s speech? Let us know in the comments below! – With reports from Annabella Garcia/Rappler.com
Annabella Garcia is a Rappler intern.
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