The Philippine Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her eighth annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday donning a traditional red native Filipino dress. She was escorted to the podium by Senate President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Prospero Nograles.

STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO DURING THE 2ND REGULAR SESSION OF THE 14TH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, 28 July 2008

Thank you, Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar. Senators and Representatives. Vice President de Castro, President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen:

I address you today at a crucial moment in world history.

Just a few months ago, we ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in a generation. Inflation was low, the peso strong and a million new jobs were created. We were all looking to a better, brighter future.

Because tough choices were made, kumikilos na ang bayan sa wakas. Malapit na sana tayo sa pagbalanse ng budget. We were retiring debts in great amounts, reducing the drag on our country’s development, habang namumuhunan sa taong bayan.

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Aerial photo of Pagasa Island (Thitu Island) taken from C-130 plane of Philippine Air Force (Courtesy of Wikipedia).

According to Wikipedia:

The second largest Spratly island. Serves as the poblacion for the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan, Phils. It is covered with trees and has a variety of fauna. It is home to some 300+ civilians (including children) and over 50 soldiers. Other islands are expected to be populated before 2010. Population is regulated to protect the islands’ flora and fauna and to avoid tension with other countries. It has 1.4 km airstrip, a marina, water filtering plant, power generator and a commercial communications tower (by Smart Communications). The Philippines’ Department of Tourism is making improvements to the island to make it profitable. Occupied since 1968. Part of Thitu Reefs.

The Spratly joint project is now becoming a hot issue in Philippine politics as it might have a link to the controversial gov’t and & ZTE deal.

Video taken by a UK correspondent during the Manila Peninsula Hotel takeover.

Here we go again… Senator Antonio Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim marched to the Manila Peninsula Hotel after they walk out of the Makati City Regional Trial Court on Thursday morning.

Here’s the statement read at the press the conference:

“Today, we address all decent Filipinos to announce that now is the time to end the sufferings and miseries inflicted upon us by the illegitimate Gloria Macapagal Arroyo government and start a new life, a new Philippines. The die is cast pursuant to our constitutional mandate as protector of the people and state.

And by these acts the officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police supported by the masses of our people and the various political forces give substance to the constitutional provisions which says the Philippines is a democratic and republican state.

Sovereign peace resides in the people and all government authority emanate from them. That we take the faithful steps of removing Mrs Arroyo from the presidency and undertake the formation of a new government.

Mrs Arroyo had occupied the presidency under a questionable mandate publicly disputed by a vast majority of Filipinos. She stole the presidency from President Estrada through unconstitutional and deceitful means and later manipulated the results of the 2004 elections to perpetuate herself in power.

More {here}

Is it true or just another unconfirmed report but according to a Yahoo news (you need a Spanish translator), Philippine president Gloria Arroyo is studying the prospects of reviving the official language status of Spanish by January after the country education system abandoned it in 1987.

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Another online petition urging Filipinos in the U.S. Call for GMA to Resign. The online petition is different from the other petition drafted by Sen. Trillianes calling for the immediate resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro Jr.

To: The Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Filipino People

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lost all credibility to serve as President of the Philippines.

We, Filipinos in the United States, are greatly outraged by the bankruptcy of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. We demand her immediate resignation and support the mounting call for her ouster, if she refuses to step down.

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President Arroyo granted full pardon to former president Estrada which was convicted guilty of plunder following a recommendation by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and hoping to easy the present political tension on ZTE deal and cash giveaways to some of the governors.

The president adviser Ronaldo Puno said Mrs Arroyo agonized on matter as she had been receiving comments from various sectors since Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera announced that Estrada has made an appeal for unconditional pardon. and under a policy of releasing prisoners who have reached 70 years of age.

Because of this news, an online petition is now circulating for the immediate resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro Jr., with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV kicking off the signature drive.

The online petition here PetitionOnline