President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III started with his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA 2014) with a familiar theme, according to some netizens defending his controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). The SONA 2014 is also considered as one of the most emotional speech of President Aquino.
During his speech, Pres. Aquino noted that the government, through the DAP, invested 7,1555 pesos for each TESDA scholar. According to the President, a total of P1.6 billion DAP funds went to TESDA.
The government agency, TESDA, as the President noted, could earn up to P234,000 a year or P18,000 a month, upon entering the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in the Philippines.
The earlier part of the President’s SONA, videos of two TESDA scholars were shown on screen, one of the scholars, Mark Joseph Escora, stated that he used to work as a jeepney barker before undergoing training in TESADA.
President Aquino also commended some of the government agencies and various members of his cabinet for a job well done in helping him reach his administration’s goal towards “Tuwid na Daan.”