The whole Filipino nation witnessed the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of our President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III on July 23, 2012 at the Batasang Pambansa Complex and it was indeed a very important event for all of us because our President stated his report about our country's economic status. I didn't actually watch our President's SONA on television so I simply searched about it on Google. I read some of his statements about our country's development during his administration.

          President Aquino vowed in front of all Filipino people to build roads that are straight, and properly paved for us to attain a well-developed country. We are all hoping that his promise will be fulfilled after his term as our President. During his SONA, he landed that in the first quarter of 2012, our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) grew by 6.4 percent and that commentators from the different parts of the world voice over their admiration to our country. In the connection, of the administration's Anti-Poverty campaign, President Aquino said that there were more beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program based on data from the DSWD wherein 1,672,972 mothers now get regular check-ups and 1,672,814 children have been vaccinated against diarrhoea, polio, measles and other various diseases. He also said that 4.57 million students no longer need to miss school because of poverty but does it really exist in our country. I don't think so. I am not blind so that i can't see the real face and situation of our country right now. We are still within the poverty stage and I don't think this situation stated by our President is somewhat true.

          Now, in terms of the government's Health Programs and Services, President Aquino said that 23.31 million more Filipinos have access to PhilHealth's array of benefits and services. According to him as to what I read, there were 5.2 million poorest households identified as PhilHealth members who will now fully benefit form PhilHealth's programs, free of charge. He also said that the initial results of the anti-dengue mosquito traps have been very encouraging. These mosquito traps was tested in areas with highest reported cases of dengue like in Bukidnon with the 1, 216 recorded dengue cases and it decreased to 37. It was a real good news and these traps would be a good help for us to lessen or prevent cases of dengue in the country. Our President was also proud that there have been a total of almost 3.1 million jobs produced within the past two years. He also addressed that there would have been 66,800 classrooms built before 2013 ends. He also said that before the year ends, every child will have their own chairs and own sets of books. Could that be possible especially that there were many Filipino children and students struggling to have proper and good education? Well, let us see. He also announced that 128,558 hectares of forest have been planted across the country and this is only a fraction of the 1.5 million hectare farmlands to be laid before he step down. President Aquino also made a stand that Spratly Islands are ours and that our government will defend our country's territory and sovereignity.
          I hope that President Aquino will continue his goal to make our country on the straight and righteous path of development and freedom.

          Life is very important to us and we should cherish it by having a healthy lifestyle. Philippines was known to be rich with its natural resources and there were also many Filipinos whose source of living came from farming. Nowadays, many Filipino families have their own way to earn money for living. Families at the lower level of living mostly make an extra income by planting edible plants such as vegetables and fruit-bearing trees on their backyard. It was indeed a good practice, not only to earn money but also to practice the way of having an everyday meal with vegetables. These people who used to do this will not only be benefited by selling the gathered fruits and vegetables because they can also get some of it to make as their food. 

          Vegetables play a very important role to us humans because of the benefits they give us specially in our health. These edible plants that we can get from nature are rich with different nutrients that will help our body to perform effectively and efficiently. Protein is one of the things we can get with vegetables. These serves as structural support to our body and help us defend our system against germs or diseases. Vegetables are also rich with fibers that help us improve body movements and slows digestion. These also help us with our appetite control. Eating vegetables are also essential to lessen our risk of Diabetes and Heart Diseases.

          Every month of July, we celebrated the Month of Nutrition and for this year's theme is " Pagkain ng Gulay Ugaliin, Araw-araw itong Ihain". We should join hand and hand to promote the habit of serving vegetables for us to attain a long life and enjoy the greatest gift of God by living healthy and free from diseases.