EXPECTING that the State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Aquino would be full of braggadocio, rhetorics and bashing of her administration, former President Gloria Arroyo, now the representative of the Second District of Pampanga may not attend the event on Monday.

Informed sources in Arroyo’s camp said the former president seemed to have heeded the advise of her colleagues in the minority not to attend the Sona during a meeting on Wednesday as President Aquino, just like in his many speaking engagements, would just bash her and her past administration, instead of making a report to the people.

But Arroyo will attend the joint session of Congress in the morning and leave before the arrival of Mr. Aquino, sources said.

It was not revealed if other members of the Arroyo family—Lakas-Kampi-CMD Reps. Diosdado Arroyo of Camarines Sur, Ignacio Arroyo of Negros Occidental and Ang Galing Pinoy Party-list Rep. Mikey Arroyo—will attend the Sona.

Members of the opposition, led by Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, will attend the Sona. Lagman is expected to deliver the traditional counter-Sona the following day.

Relatedly, Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said the real Sona could not be heard in the joint session as “President Aquino failed to address even the most basic issues raised by workers, farmers, urban poor, government employees and other sectors.”

Mariano said current economic and political indicators show that there had been no significant changes under Mr. Aquino during his first year in office.

“It only shows that we will endure more of the same—poverty, hunger, corruption and bad presidency for the next five years of the Aquino administration.”

The militant legislator said the President failed in all aspects of governance during his one year in office.

“The real people’s Sona will not be heard in the joint session of Congress on July 25. It will be delivered on the streets as thousands of people stage protests against Mr. Aquino’s failure as a President,” said Mariano.