In compliance with the mandate of the 1987 Constitution, the President of the Republic personally addresses Congress at the opening of its regular session every fourth Monday of July of each year (Section 23 Article VIII and Section 15 Article VII). The speech, called “state of the nation” (Sona), is attended at the Batasan Pambansa by all members of the first branch of government and witnessed by the people. It is normal to listen to the President’s presentation of the administration’s programs in the past year, and what programs to expect in the future and the policies described in broad strokes that still needs formulation. Hopefully, we will hear an extraordinary Sona 2023.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers are usually cited to illustrate the state of the national economy which is said to reflect the standard of living of the people. Not everyone agrees with this view. Many believe that GDP only measures the wealth of the rich and well off. GDP obscures the miserable state of poverty of millions of our countrymen who are excluded and left behind by development.

There is a suggestion that instead of GDP as an index of progress, we should imitate Bhutan that utilizes the Gross National Happiness of their people because they consider the healthy relationship with family, community, and God to be more important than money in bringing wellness. This perspective may justify what that young person said on a TV show, “masarap maging mahirap”. Unfortunately, such a romanticizing poverty mindset is iniquitous as it downplays the grievous moral irresponsibility of rulers and the political -economic elite who through the centuries have remained indifferent to the fundamental need to make inclusive economic growth. It also signifies resignation to one’s financial situation and encourages the slave mentality that believes that this sad reality is beyond remedy. There is nothing wrong with being poor, but no one dreams of being poor because it is a miserable life full of endless suffering in all aspects of life.

According to the PSA, in the Philippines wealthy families number only 20,000 or 0.1% of the total 17.4 million families in the country. And this is what former Secretary and General Jose T Almonte refers to as the main problem of our country (We must level the playing field, p. 18 © 2007). Almonte explained that there is too much stability and complacency of the few rich people who enjoy preserving their extensive advantage over millions of poor people who they believe are to blame for not working hard enough. We can blame the poor who are suffering financial distress because of excessive vices and unabashed laziness or the gullibility to scams but we cannot heap blame on the next and unborn generations that have inherited the poverty of their parents and ancestors.

Almonte said that despite the passage of several centuries starting before the arrival of the Spaniards until today, the percentage of the rich in the population has not changed and they continue to dominate the existing political-economic system in the shape of political dynasties. The Philippines remains an oligarchy which was used as justification for the American annexation of the Philippines in 1899.

According to the former President of Czechoslovakia, Vaclav Havel- the rich must learn to prioritize morality above all else. They must begin to listen to their conscience and shoulder the moral obligation to help the poor out of poverty.

What Almonte and Havel are saying is simple – the “political-economic elite” must be held accountable for their irresponsibility in not doing anything to level the playing field.

Acemoglu and Robinson explained that a country fails to bring happiness to all its citizens because of the greed of the ruling class that is insatiable in extracting the country’s wealth.

Confucius said, “In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.” As our country remains poor, the rich should be blamed for their indolence in not helping create opportunities to level the playing field. Only the rich have the ability and power to implement real reforms that can lead to better income per capita .

I hope the President’s Sona 2023 is not typical. He should present specific measures on how to appeal to the conscience of the 20,000 rich families to usher in “Bagong Pilipinas.”

Atty. Magi Gunigundo is a former lawmaker, civil law instructor, and author of law books. He is also an education reformer and an advocate of anticipatory governance.