Aquino’s speaking in Tagalog/Filipino, a weird affectation

GIVEN the millions that the Palace (or Office of the President) spends annually on its communications office, the president’s spokesmen, its messaging/speechwriting staff, and its public relations consultants, to say nothing of the billions sunk in the black hole of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP),  we presume that the Administration always has enough change to spare for the hiring of able English translators of the President’s more important public speeches, like the annual state of the nation address.

As is his wont since the beginning of his presidency in 2010, President Aquino delivers his addresses in Tagalog/Filipino, for reasons that are unclear and wrapped in mystery.