Sunday, August 3, 2008

HOW TO WRITE A REACTION PAPER ON SONA 2008 OF PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

This blog is in response to the request of students who are writing REACTION PAPER ON SONA 2008 of PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO.

FOR AN EXAMPLE APPLYING THIS OUTLINE, SEE EXAMPLE OF REACTION PAPER OF SONA 2008 of PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

The questions that you need to answer in reading the SONA 2008 or whatever article that you are asked to give reaction to are the following:


* What do you think of what you are reading?
It is a SONA 2008 so you expect that the speech is all achievements of the administration.

* What do you agree or disagree with?

Based on your observations (not the comments or remarks of the opposition or critics of the administration ) write if you agree or disagree with what have been said.

So you will be needing a lot of these phrases.

I think that

I see that

I feel that

It seems that

In my opinion,

Because

A good quote is

In addition,

For example,

Moreover,

However,

Consequently,

Finally,

In conclusion,



Organizing your REACTION PAPER

The reaction paper has three main parts:

1. The INTRODUCTION

2. The BODY

3. The CONCLUSION

THE INTRODUCTION

The introduction should have at least two paragraphs.

The first sentence should include the TITLE, THE AUTHOR OR THE SPEAKER AND WHERE AND WHEN IT WAS DELIVERED:


So the first sentence in your Reaction on the SONA 2008 would be the title which is the STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, 2008 (the date is very important because there have been past SONAs. The Speaker of course was President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo although she may not be necessarily the writer of the speech. Indicate where and when it was delivered.

The following paragraph should give a short summary of the SONA.

The last paragraph should contain the thesis statement which is the purpose of the REACTION PAPER. Are in you agreement? Do you disagree with most of what have been said or you are just evaluating the validity of statements.

What is the thesis statement?

1. The thesis statement is not a fact or observation. It is an assertion.

Example:

Fact or observation: May politicians criticize the SONA
Assertion: The SONA failed to fully explain the government's plan on combatting the crisis faced by the nation.

2.
A thesis statement represents the position of the reactor to the content of the SONA and not just a announcement.

Announcement: The President enumerated the accomplishments and the plans of her administration.

Position: The accomplishments and plans enumerated are not adequate enough to save the country from the economic crisis.

3. A thesis is not a title. It is a complete sentence.

A title- Philippines and the economic crisis.
Thesis statement: The accomplishments and plans enumerated are not adequate enough to save the country from the economic crisis.

THE BODY

The body should contain Ssentences/paragraphs that provide support for your thesis. Make one paragraph for one idea or topic.

YOu can structure your thesis into:

What the speaker said and what do you think about it.

THE CONCLUSION:

A conclusion should

* stress the importance of YOUR THESIS statement on SONA.
* give the paper a sense of completeness, and
* creates a final impression on your reader.


You do not repeat what have been written in the body but you can mention the introduction to relate to your conclusion.

Or you can challenge the reader by asking what do they think?

Or you can look into the future and ask the reader if your idea still applies.

2 comments:

Asiatic08 said...

State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
2nd Regular Session of the 14th Congress
Republic of the Philippines
28 July 2008

The SONA can be summarized into two basic ideas. The Philippines is facing economic crisis and the government is doing to solve the problems. She admitted that she can not point what brought the new crisis as compared in the past since there are many contributing factors which she thought brought as this new wave of challenges. The governments’ solutions as well as the accomplishments on some areas were also discussed. In closing, she called on each and everyone, the citizens, the businessmen, the government’s leaders and the church and to help promote peace and prosperity of the country.
Sumasangayon ako na kailangan nating makipagtulungan bilang isang mamayan sa crisis na ating kinakaharap subalit nararamdaman kung sa lahat ng programang ipinapatupad ng ating gobyerno ay di parin sapat kaya't nanatiling bigo tayo sa ating adhikaing mapaunlad ang ating bayan.
My view as a student with the State of the Nation Address of our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is that, I thought it’s not enough for us to survive with the world crisis we are facing right now. Because although there are so many jobs created by our government and other private sectors, the problem is that; there is an age-limit and discrimination which other countries didn’t require, because they believe that as long as you are capable to do that work you will be hired; not just like here in our country which age-limit is the barrier for the people to have job. Although our President is trying to push creating job but still it’s not enough, and she mentioned also about pushing Temporary Employment, why is that temporary only why not regular. Because I think that she cannot promise to the people to have their regular job. That is why many Filipino citizens are aiming to work to other countries because they believe that this is the only way for them to succeed in life. Other factor is that, all the activities that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo mentioned will not be well promulgated because of some corrupt sectors that are in-charge with the project.
The state of the nation address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not that objective because I thought it is only an agenda, not to get pulse but to bring home the message. On its eight state of the nation address last July 28 2008 she did not even mentioned about education, which the rate of out of school children now is increasing. So it seems that President Arroyo is turning blind eye with the status of education in our country, cause of this is the bad condition of our economy. And because of this poverty, hungers prevent Filipino kids from getting basic education. She mentioned about the rice crisis we’ve experience and until now we still experiencing it. That according to her, she is satisfied with the cheapest price of commercial rice which is P32. But still for us who doesn’t have enough income, it is still a high price. So our President must think of that. If many people will stick into NFA rice, so its an unfair part for us, because they are enjoying eating well-grained commercial rice while us is still sacrifice eating NFA rice. Well, I was surprised at first that there is a rice shortage, while there are so many stocks of rice who is not been released in the market. What is the used of the thousand hectares that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo distributed to the provinces with a wide rice field?, and it is sad to think of that were the number one produces rice that we exported but now we are the one who is imported rice from other country. Although President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is concerned with the pricing of our basic needs including oil, but still she can’t even able to solve it and she can’t even control the price challenges we are facing. Many people now were so angry with her because she didn’t know how to control price. This price challenges we are facing is the one causes us in a more crisis lives. She mentioned it in her state of the nation address but how can she solve it. She is just after speaking; she didn’t able to identify on how to solve this price challenge, so how can people believe in her, which causes her satisfaction ratings much lesser than her dissatisfaction ratings as of this year, it is going down. She also mentioned about food self-sufficiency, but how can we able to be well food self sufficient if still there is an insufficiency in food and nutrition specially those without income and those vagrant. Mentioned also the greater self- alliance in our attitude, for me I think she must be the first one to do it before us.
Value Added Tax, one of the greatest topics in the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Mcapagal Arroyo. With my reaction regarding this matter is that, I agree with the President not to move-out Value Added Tax BUT she need to minimize the percentage of it. Because as what I’ve been realized, is that; it is one of the factor why the price of our basic needs is high. The Congress must pass a bill about low percent of value added tax to minimize pricing with our basic needs. However, it shall not remove because of some instances which solve some of our country’s problem. And also because it is true that if we remove value added tax especially on oil and energy, who will be benefits by that are those persons consume 84% of oil and 94% of energy so the effect is that the poor people will much suffered with it. The fund of Value Added Tax is what we’ve been payee with our country’s credit to other countries. They used it in investments for the benefits of Filipino People and for Infrastructures and they used it also for the victims of typhoon Frank, but still that fund will not be place in a right place because half of this is in the hands of some corrupt officials. There is also mentioned on the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the Value Added Tax is been used as a fund for the programs for the people. But, did the Filipino people feel that program, well I thought they don’t even feel that program, if there is, it’s minimal. Consequently, mentioning just one example of a success of a one farmer and driver is not enough to assure me that the given program is success.
Moreover, I was disappointed with the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because she act first with the P0.50 worth of text rather than some much more important matter which is price challenges of basic needs and unemployment. We are on the point that communication is very important for us but still, the President must prioritize first the urgent needs that we needed everyday. Instead the P0.50 must place in education program. She must think of what people really needs and how to satisfy their needs. It’s like in a business that when you have a product or service offered of course you need to know what really the needs and wants of your customers and on how can you satisfy them, you need to consider that in order to succeed in the business you are now. So meaning we are the customer and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the store manager that she needs to consider and think of the needs of her people.
Though the Value Added Tax from oil which is P4 billion released last June is been used as payment for energy used of four million poor’s worth P 2 billion, but still that P 2 billions is not all been pay because as what I’ve said, in any sector of our government and other private sectors there is a corruption. And a P 1 billion for college scholarship, either there is a scholarship program and if their finish their studies, where do they will apply, if one of our problem also is unemployment. And also a half billion for credit to use in changing LPG, CNG or bio fuel of motors and jeepney’s and half billion for changing bulb into fluorescent in public places, but that funds will not all be place in that project and not all will benefits with it. The Projects of our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will not be possible until there is a corruption, if corruption will not be stop our country will stay like what we’ve been now. And aiming for country’s development will not be success if our President will not prioritize the needs and wants of her people. Many people were so very disappointed with the state of the nation address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because of her not objective SONA that people notice that it is just a business as usual.
Sa aking opinyon bilang estudyante ay kinakailangan pa ng sapat na programa na masisigurong maisasatupad upang sa ganun ay maattain natin ang goals ng ating bansa.We have given it more than six years since 2001 and the economic progress that it claimed to have accomplished is still not enough to reduce the nation’s poverty, para masigurado ang magandang kinabukasan ng mga mamamayang Pilipino.

Asiatic08 said...

State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
2nd Regular Session of the 14th Congress
Republic of the Philippines
28 July 2008

The SONA can be summarized into two basic ideas. The Philippines is facing economic crisis and what the government is doing to solve the problems on a short and a long time basis. She admitted that she can not point what brought the new crisis as compared in the past since there are many contributing factors which she thought brought as this new wave of challenges. The governments’ solutions as well as the accomplishments on some areas were also discussed. In closing, she called on each and everyone, the citizens, the businessmen, the government’s leaders and the church and to help promote peace and prosperity of the country.
I agree that every citizen should contribute in their own little way to make this country a progressive and prosperous nation despite the fact that I feel that the government failed in its own role in solving the problems that prevents the nation from going towards the right direction.
My view as a student with the State of the Nation Address of our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is that, I thought it’s not enough for us to survive with the world crisis we are facing right now. Because although there are so many jobs created by our government and other private sectors, the problem is that; there is an age-limit and discrimination which other countries didn’t require, because they believe that as long as you are capable to do that work you will be hired; not just like here in our country which age-limit is the barrier for the people to have job. Although our President is trying to push creating job but still it’s not enough, and she mentioned also about pushing Temporary Employment, why is that temporary only why not regular. Because I think that she cannot promise to the people to have their regular job. That is why many Filipino citizens are aiming to work to other countries because they believe that this is the only way for them to succeed in life. Other factor is that, all the activities that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo mentioned will not be well promulgated because of some corrupt sectors that are in-charge with the project.
The state of the nation address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not that objective because I thought it is only an agenda, not to get pulse but to bring home the message. On its eight state of the nation address last July 28 2008 she did not even mentioned about education, which the rate of out of school children now is increasing. So it seems that President Arroyo is turning blind eye with the status of education in our country, cause of this is the bad condition of our economy. And because of this poverty, hungers prevent Filipino kids from getting basic education. She mentioned about the rice crisis we’ve experience and until now we still experiencing it. That according to her, she is satisfied with the cheapest price of commercial rice which is P32. But still for us who doesn’t have enough income, it is still a high price. So our President must think of that. If many people will stick into NFA rice, so its an unfair part for us, because they are enjoying eating well-grained commercial rice while us is still sacrifice eating NFA rice. Well, I was surprised at first that there is a rice shortage, while there are so many stocks of rice who is not been released in the market. What is the used of the thousand hectares that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo distributed to the provinces with a wide rice field?, and it is sad to think of that were the number one produces rice that we exported but now we are the one who is imported rice from other country. Although President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is concerned with the pricing of our basic needs including oil, but still she can’t even able to solve it and she can’t even control the price challenges we are facing. Many people now were so angry with her because she didn’t know how to control price. This price challenges we are facing is the one causes us in a more crisis lives. She mentioned it in her state of the nation address but how can she solve it. She is just after speaking; she didn’t able to identify on how to solve this price challenge, so how can people believe in her, which causes her satisfaction ratings much lesser than her dissatisfaction ratings as of this year, it is going down. She also mentioned about food self-sufficiency, but how can we able to be well food self sufficient if still there is an insufficiency in food and nutrition specially those without income and those vagrant. Mentioned also the greater self- alliance in our attitude, for me I think she must be the first one to do it before us.
Value Added Tax, one of the greatest topics in the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Mcapagal Arroyo. With my reaction regarding this matter is that, I agree with the President not to move-out Value Added Tax BUT she need to minimize the percentage of it. Because as what I’ve been realized, is that; it is one of the factor why the price of our basic needs is high. The Congress must pass a bill about low percent of value added tax to minimize pricing with our basic needs. However, it shall not remove because of some instances which solve some of our country’s problem. And also because it is true that if we remove value added tax especially on oil and energy, who will be benefits by that are those persons consume 84% of oil and 94% of energy so the effect is that the poor people will much suffered with it. The fund of Value Added Tax is what we’ve been payee with our country’s credit to other countries. They used it in investments for the benefits of Filipino People and for Infrastructures and they used it also for the victims of typhoon Frank, but still that fund will not be place in a right place because half of this is in the hands of some corrupt officials. There is also mentioned on the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the Value Added Tax is been used as a fund for the programs for the people. But, did the Filipino people feel that program, well I thought they don’t even feel that program, if there is, it’s minimal. Consequently, mentioning just one example of a success of a one farmer and driver is not enough to assure me that the given program is success.
Moreover, I was disappointed with the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because she act first with the P0.50 worth of text rather than some much more important matter which is price challenges of basic needs and unemployment. We are on the point that communication is very important for us but still, the President must prioritize first the urgent needs that we needed everyday. Instead the P0.50 must place in education program. She must think of what people really needs and how to satisfy their needs. It’s like in a business that when you have a product or service offered of course you need to know what really the needs and wants of your customers and on how can you satisfy them, you need to consider that in order to succeed in the business you are now. So meaning we are the customer and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the store manager that she needs to consider and think of the needs of her people.
Though the Value Added Tax from oil which is P4 billion released last June is been used as payment for energy used of four million poor’s worth P 2 billion, but still that P 2 billions is not all been pay because as what I’ve said, in any sector of our government and other private sectors there is a corruption. And a P 1 billion for college scholarship, either there is a scholarship program and if their finish their studies, where do they will apply, if one of our problem also is unemployment. And also a half billion for credit to use in changing LPG, CNG or bio fuel of motors and jeepney’s and half billion for changing bulb into fluorescent in public places, but that funds will not all be place in that project and not all will benefits with it. The Projects of our President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will not be possible until there is a corruption, if corruption will not be stop our country will stay like what we’ve been now. And aiming for country’s development will not be success if our President will not prioritize the needs and wants of her people. Many people were so very disappointed with the state of the nation address of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because of her not objective SONA that people notice that it is just a business as usual.
I stand on my opinion that the government has still too much things to do in order to attain the goal that it has set. We have given it more than six years and the economic progress that it claimed to have accomplished is still short to reduce the nation’s poverty, to assure the citizens of a brighter future.