PIA Dispatch - Monday, July 27, 2009

PGMA: "I have never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term"

MANILA, July 27 - Contrary to what her critics say, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will not extend her term of office.

In her 9th State-of-the-Nation Address, President Arroyo said: “I have never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term. Many of those who accuse me of it try to cling like nails to their posts... At the end of this speech, I shall step down from this stage but not from the presidency. My term does not end until next year. Until then, I will fight for the ordinary Filipino.”

The hardworking President said there is still so much work to do from today until the last day of her term in June next year.

”The nation comes first. There's much to do as head of state to the very last day. A year is a long time,” she said. “Our people deserve a government that works just as hard as they do.”

She also urged presidential hopefuls “to give the electorate real choices and not just sweet talk.”

President Arroyo also lashed out at her critics in what could be considered as one of her strongest and most meaningful SONA.

”I have never done any of the things that have scared my worst critics so much. They are frightened by their own shadows,” she said.

”I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my office for personal profit. Many of those who accuse me of it have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime.”
”We can read their frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they blew it by serving themselves. Those who live in glass houses should cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there,” she said.


SONA 2009 and PGMA’s critics

“Sinagot na niya ang kanyang mga kritiko,” so described Professor Alex Magno after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her ninth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.

In her report, President Arroyo described the state of the nation since her 2008 SONA as “a strong economy” while lashing out her critics saying, “have we listened to our critics, this country could have lied flat on its back!”

The President revealed that with the economic measures that her administration has implemented to boost government revenues, the country was able to develop critical infrastructures like seaports, airports, and roll-on-roll-off routes.

She cited as an example the development of the Subic-Clark Expressway that has helped create wealth to Subic and Clark, Pampanga.

The Chief Executive made mention also of her recent order to the National Telecommunications (NTC) to act on complaints of unfair charges on drop calls and diminishing loads.

President Arroyo likewise reported that since its development in the country, the Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) has grown into a $6 billion-sector that has provided massive employment to Filipinos. Thus the call of the President for the development of “a department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)”.

She also revealed that about 700,000 families have already benefited from the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamiliyang Pilipino Project) while 700,000 ‘katutubo’ and CARP beneficiaries are now proud land owners.

Among the accomplishments that the President also mentioned include the government’s emergency jobs program which is part of her Economic Resiliency Program (ERP) that have provided employment to many; housing and shelter programs; the development of farm-to-market roads and irrigation infrastructures; P1 billion fund to fish farming; and the increase of farm gate price of rice from P11 to P17 per kilo; and the creation of 8.095 million jobs since 2001.

Economically, the President pointed out that through her administration the average inflation rate of the county is at 1.5 percent as of June 2009 – the lowest since 1966, while the average growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country is at 4.6 percent from 2001 to 2009. Her administration is also responsible for the reduction of the public debt and foreign debt from to 32 percent, with the self-rated poverty rate lowering to 47 percent.

With the influx of OFW remittances which is now already at P166.91 billion, the Foreign exchange reserves of the country grew by $3 billion. Hence, President Arroyo’s intent to create an Investors Protection Task Force to help OFWs create investments in the country.

Legislatively, the President reported the passage of Cheaper Medicines law, Rent Control law, Biofuels Act, Renewable Energy Act, and the 2010 Fully Automated elections.

In Education and Skills training, the government has provided means and measures for the Filipino people to realize their dreams through education – which she referred to as a great equalizer. Part of this, she said, is the P1.5 billion fund for 100,000 teachers’ training in English teaching; removal of miscellaneous fees in school expenses; removal of the requirement to wear school uniforms; and scholarships extended to 600,000 College and Post-Graduates. Aside from this, the President revealed that the Presidential Task Force on Education has already envisioned a “Philippine Main Education Highway” to better our education system.

For peace in Mindanao, the Chief Executive has expressed desire for Muslim, Christians and Lumads to find a common ground that respects each others beliefs.

In the same report, President Arroyo thanked the Congress “for standing with me, and doing the right thing”.

On one hand, she told her critics that she “will step down from this stage but not from the Presidency” as her “term will end next year”, pointing out that “I never expressed desire to extend my term”.

She shot back at her detractors, saying “those who live in glass houses should not cast stones”

For those who want to become President, the Chief Executive advised them to do something but “don’t say bad words in public”.

At the end of her report, President Arroyo thanked the Filipino people for “allowing me to be your President”.

Mrs. Arroyo received about 126 applauses and at least two standing ovations during the occasion.

Palace’s allies are quick to defend the President saying, “it is about time na sagutin na talaga niya ang kanyang mga kritiko.”


Filipinos must listen to PGMA's 'interesting' 9th SONA -- Remonde

MANILA, July 27 — Malacanang asked the Filipino people on Monday morning to listen to the “interesting” ninth State-of-the Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the joint session this afternoon of the Senate and the House of Representatives at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a radio interview that the President finished most of her SONA Sunday night, although she might still make “finishing touches” to it.

”It’s more or less 10 pages, that’s the normal length of her SONA, that’s about 45 minutes to one hour. It will be very interesting,” Secretary Remonde explained.

”This SONA will warm the hearts of the supporters of the President and even convert those who are undecided about her administration. As to her critics, we can’t do anything about them,” Remonde said.

According to the Malacanang official, education would be on the spotlight of the President’s report, along with infrastructure, job generation and the economy.
Remonde also assured the Catholic Church that President Arroyo would deliver an “honest” SONA.

The Catholic Church on Sunday called on the President to be honest in her reporting of the real state of the nation.

"The President will definitely be honest. Majority of the leaders support her except for a few again who are among her critics who will never see anything good in what she does," Remonde stressed.

On Sunday, President Arroyo said in her opening statement before receiving the state of the education report from the Task Force for Education (TFE) that “Education is the better ticket to a better life.”

The President underscored the importance of providing every Filipino with quality education, saying this is the “ticket to a better life.”

“Nothing is more sacred or more valuable to enhancing the dignity of every Filipino than a good education, and no issue is more important to us than education,” the President said.

Through education, every Filipino man, woman and child will be given an opportunity to “lift themselves up,” according to the Chief Executive.

“Our children –- the children of our nation -– are most precious to us and we must give them every opportunity to use their God-given talents to lift themselves up,” she added.

After her statement, the President held a closed-door meeting with TFE members led by Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Commission on Higher Education Chair Emmanuel Angeles, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Chair Augusto Syjuco and Presidential Assistant for Education Mona Valisno.

President Arroyo said that the task force members are just part of the “experts” convened “from across government on subjects that will be discussed in the SONA: national security, the economy, social services, infrastructure and more.”

“All will be part of our SONA. All have been crucial to my priorities as President,” she stressed.

“We take the SONA very seriously. Our people deserve to know what our government is doing, how the money is spent and what our priorities for the nation are,” the President said.


Palace brands Washington Times editorial as one that “reeks of prejudice”

MANILA, July 27 - Malacanang on Monday decried the Washington Times editorial which claimed that United States President Barack Obama's invitation to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Washington on July 30 is a “mistake”.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo branded such report as one that “reeks of prejudice.”

“It is irresponsible journalism,” Fajardo said, pointing out that its editorial–commentary managing editor is none other than Brett Decker, the author of Congressman Jose De Venecia’s fictional biography.

Titled “Obama sanitizing Arroyo stink”, the Washington Times editorial dated July 26 stated that the choice of President Arroyo as the first Southeast Asian leader to be invited by Obama was a mistake because the US President is being “used to give political cover for the President’s troubles back home.”

The editorial cited President Arroyo's alleged “precarious domestic political position, corruption, human rights abuses, and machinations to cling to power” as reasons why it considered Obama's meeting a mistake.

Fajardo said the President’s meeting with Obama serves only to validate, affirm and strengthen the strong alliance of the Philippines and United States and joint efforts to secure a brighter future for the two countries.

“The Philippines and the United States have a shared history and future, founded on a common vision of democracy and progress,” she said.

The Chief Executive was called by Obama to re-affirm his commitment to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and to commend her about her administration’s efforts at countering terrorism.

This was revealed by the US Office of the Press Secretary in a White House website press statement “for immediate release” dated March 13 (March 14 in the Philippines).

“They reaffirmed their commitment to the long-standing U.S.-Philippines alliance, including the Visiting Forces Agreement, which remains critical to the bilateral relationship and our strategic interests,” the statement said.

The US President, likewise, commended President Arroyo on her country’s efforts in countering terrorism and modernizing the armed forces.

“The two leaders discussed the need to work closely together on the global
economic crisis as well as on other areas of common concern, including climate change, education, and interfaith dialogue,” the statement further said.


Senate opens 3rd regular session with 19 senators present

MANILA, July 27 — Nineteen members of the Senate attended the opening of the third regular session of the 14th Congress on Monday morning.

Only four of the 23 members of the chamber failed to attend the opening session which started at exactly 10 a.m. They were Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Pia Cayetano, Manuel A. Roxas II and Antonio Trillanes IV, who is on detention.

The 19 senators present approved several resolutions, including Concurrent Resolution No. 28 convening both chambers of Congress at 4 p.m. today to hear President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

Senator Francis Pangilinan took the floor to clarify that the approved resolution should not be used to convene Congress into a Constituent Assembly to propose amendments to the 1987 Constitution.

Senator Rodolfo Biazon, who is among those attending the 9th SONA of President Arroyo during the joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate, threatened to walk out if the SONA would be converted into a Constituent Assembly.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile assured his colleagues he would not allow such a move and that any motion to convert Congress into a Constituent Assembly would be declared out of order.