Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr delivers his first State of the Nation address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 25, 2022. (Photo by Aaron Favila / POOL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� During President Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr.鈥檚 first State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros took the attention of many netizens: She was not clapping when the President was introduced.
And netizens love her for it.
Some netizens posted clips of her at the House of Representatives session hall, refusing to clap when the President was introduced before he started his speech.
my girl not clapping, korique behavior 馃き
鈥� chanty 饝亶 (@ainttheresia)
鈥淢y girl not clapping, korique [correct] behavior 馃き,鈥� one netizen wrote.
https://twitter.com/ishdanica_/status/1551500212383887360?s=21&t=cMAy6cTT-R9-IFRKs-z9jg
鈥淚 believe in sen. risa hontiveros supremacy 馃洂,鈥� another one tweeted.
LOOK: Sen. , the one of the two members of the minority in Senate, DID NOT CLAP as Marcos, Jr. was introduced to speak. 鉁婐煆�
鈥� Carwyn Candila 馃嚨馃嚫 (@Carwyn_Candila)
Sen. Risa Hontiveros is seen to not applaud Marcos Jr.' introductory.
She's a fvcking mood!!! 鉁婐煆�
鈥� Kyle Venturillo (@kventurillo)
鈥淪en. Risa Hontiveros is seen to not applaud Marcos Jr.鈥� introductory. #SONA2022 She鈥檚 a fvcking mood!!! 鉁婐煆烩�� a netizen also wrote.
Marcos may have Lower and Upper House supermajority, but there will always be that one woman who refuses to clap. More power to Senator Risa Hontiveros.
鈥� Ash Presto 馃挏 (@sosyolohija)
my girl not clapping, korique behavior 馃き
鈥� chanty 饝亶 (@ainttheresia)
鈥淪EN. @risahontiveros NOT GIVING HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! I LOVE YOU PO SO MUCH! STAND STRAIGHT & SLAY 馃馃馃馃挆#SONA,鈥� one netizen tweeted.
https://twitter.com/spacewalkkks/status/1551482747427758080?s=21&t=cMAy6cTT-R9-IFRKs-z9jg
Some of the tweets gained thousands of likes and retweets.
In an interview with reporters after the Sona, Hontiveros said she supports some of the measures mentioned by Marcos, such as the mention of renewable energy sources and social protection for vulnerable sectors like solo parents.
However, she said she hoped there were mentions of addressing corruption.
鈥淪ana may anti-corruption measures at saka yung concern para sa mga iba pang issue tungkol sa governance at saka demokrasya,鈥� she said.
(I hoped there were mentions of anti-corruption measures and the concerns on several issues on governance and democracy.)
Hontiveros is one of only two minority members in the Senate, alongside Senator Aquilino 鈥淜oko鈥� Pimentel III.
Meanwhile, 22 senators were aligned with the majority bloc, while two 鈥� siblings, Senators Alan and Pia Cayetano 鈥� were 鈥渋ndependent.鈥�