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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Hope na lang': Dela Rosa to skip SONA, says he has no more expectations

'Hope na lang': Dela Rosa to skip SONA, says he has no more expectations

Published Jul 17, 2025 01:29 pm
Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said on Thursday, July 17, that he would skip President Marcos’ fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28.
Senator Ronald
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa (Office of Senator Dela Rosa)
"Ayaw kong makipagplastikan. Alangan naman pupunta ko doon na nakasimangot. Pangit, di ba? Alangan naman pupunta ko doon na pa-smile-smile kahit na masama ang loob ko sa kanila (I don’t want to pretend. I mean, it would look bad if I went there frowning, right? But it would also be wrong if I went there smiling as if nothing’s wrong when I’m upset with them)," he told reporters in a phone interview.
"Makipagplastikan ako doon sa mga congressman na masama ang loob ko. Hindi naman lahat ng congressman pero may mga congressman doon na masama ang loob ko at mayroon din yung mga tao sa Malacanang na masama ang loob ko. So, bakit ako magkipagplastikan? (Should I pretend and put on an act with those congressmen I’m upset with? Not all of them, but there are some congressmen I have issues with, and also some people in Malacañang I’m not happy with. So why should I fake it?)" he added.
Dela Rosa said that this is merely a personal decision, and his colleagues from the Duterte bloc are free to do what they want.
Asked for his expectation from the SONA, he said that he expects Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to insist on what he said, referring to the former's statement that dela Rosa would receive the same treatment as former President Rodrigo Duterte if the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a warrant in relation to the previous administration's drug war.
"I will expect na i-insist ni Secretary Bersamin yung sinabi niya (I expect that Secretary Bersamin will insist on what he said)," he said in jest.
Yet he stated that he no longer has expectations from the government right now.
"Wala na ako expectation sa gobyerno na ito. Hope na lang hope. Ayaw ko nang umasa. Nag-hope na lang ako na mag-focus sila na pagandahin ang buhay ng Pilipinas (I no longer have any expectations from this government. I’m just hoping. I don’t want to rely on them or expect anything. I’m only hoping that they’ll focus on improving life in the Philippines)," he said.
"Yun na lang ang aking hope. Hindi ako umaasa ah, hope na lang ako, hope. Iba yung expectation at iba rin yung ano bang hope sa Tagalog sa hope. Iba yung expectation, iba yung pag-asa. Inaasahan, oo (That’s all I’m holding on to—just hope. Expectation is different, and hope (pag-asa in Tagalog) is different. Expectation is inaasahan; hope is pag-asa)," he added.
Vice President Sara Duterte will also be skipping the President's SONA as she would be in South Korea for a “Free Duterte Rally” the day before.

Related Tags

Bato Dela Rosa SONA SONA 2025 President Marcos
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