‘Bingo Bonanza’: What online Filipinos expect in Marcos’ 3rd SONA

July 22, 2024 - 10:48 AM
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Marcos Jr_SONA 2023
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivering his second State of the Nation Address on Batasang Pambansa on July 24, 2023 (From Presidential Communications Office/Released)

The third annual State of the Nation Address‘ “Bingo Bonanza” has been launched, according to online users.

A Redditor on Sunday posted a “bingo card” containing words and phrases that they expect President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to tackle or say in his SONA for the year 2024.

“That time of the year again,” a Reddit user shared on the r/Philippines subreddit on July 21.

The “bingo card” includes the words and phrases “West Philippine Sea,” “Bagong Pilipinas anthem,” “unity,” “my father,” “my son,” “foreign trips, foreign pledges,” “POGO,” and a “peaceful drug war.”

The picture of his eldest, Rep. Sandro Marcos (Ilocos Norte, First District) can be spotted in the box containing the phrase “my son.”

That time of the year again.
byu/PlasticNet4500 inPhilippines

The SONA “bingo card” was popularized by online users during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte in which Filipinos would create a “guide” and then “take a shot” whenever he mentioned any of the words or topics on the card.

The usual phrases in the “bingo card” would be “war on drugs,” “oligarchs,” “virus,” the “Anti-Terror Law,” “China,” “human rights” and “communists.”

There were also “bingo cards” that predicted situations and instances like “every time he (Duterte) curses, “every time he refers to China as a friend,” and “if he says he’ll run as vice president.”

The phrases, topics, and situations reflected some Filipinos’ expectations or predictions for the annual SONA in which the president is expected to inform Pinoys about the country’s current economic, political and social condition.

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Marcos is expected to talk about the West Philippine Sea as China continues encroaching on Manila’s exclusive economic zone through its vessels.

The president is also expected to mention the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGO amid the issue being tied to suspended Bamban Mayor Guo Hua Ping (also known as Alice Guo) and other raided POGO hubs.

Marcos may also remember his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., in his speech to look back or compare situations.