People's SONA, July 28, 2008

For those of you who aren't too familiar with Philippine politics, our president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA), is apparently the most unpopular leader we've had in over 20 years, so unpopular that she makes President Bush look like Gandhi by comparison. Sensing the possibility that some people might, just maybe, come out to boo her during the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA), I headed out to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, where thousands were expected to come out and protest in what local media and the organizers themselves were dubbing the "People's SONA"




Effigies were burnt, mobs confronted phalanxes of Metro Manila's finest in riot gear and GMA was called all sorts of names (some unprintable), but no heads were bashed. This is either a very good thing or a very bad thing, depending on how much of your livelihood is based off of your event becoming newsworthy on the international wires, and on your expertise in surviving a warzone.

Being there, I got the feeling that the whole thing was just a big opposition show for the press, decent photos and some excitement, but nothing that would change history, or even change the situation in the country. You'd have things that were a little TOO staged, like the classic little kid being picked up by his dad and waving a big anti-establishment banner, or the fact that concert-quality sound systems had been set up along the side of the six-lane road prior to the protest. At the same time, the numbers mobilized, though significant, were nothing compared to the (literally) millions that turned out to singularly important rallies in 1986 and 2001, rallies that kicked presidents out of office. It was a challenge to come home with unique photos (I won't say that I did), but at least i wasn't a challenge to come home in one piece, heh.

More photos from this and other events at my website.