Fairytale Statistics
[Click here to download a PDF copy of the complete text of the 2009 SoNA]
It was her last State of the Nation Address. The least she could have done was to tell the truth and apologize for her shortcomings and crimes. Instead, she has again chosen to boast about her administration’s flimsy achievements and tell economic fairy tales for most parts of the speech. All the bloated claims about the nation’s economy were not made more credible by the charts and statistics presented. Higher credit ratings, lower foreign debts, and bigger GDP are all meaningless in the midst of hunger and poverty. The 8 million jobs generated in the past years might be correct but is quantity more important than quality? It is more likely that the seasonal and underpaid jobs were included in the count.
The statistics gathered and prepared by the government might show some improvements but are they significant or just mere sugar-coatings? For instance, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stated in her SoNA speech that remittances from OFW’s significantly increased during the past years of her administration; however, this could be interpreted as an indirect admission that more Filipinos are seeking opportunities abroad because of lack of available jobs here at home!
The resiliency of Philippine economy in the midst of global economic recession was over-stressed and mis-represented in the speech. It seems that the government does not agree with the World Bank that the Philippines has yet to feel the lash of the tail of the global financial breakdown. Things first will become worst before it gets better. Big multi-national companies that have been operating in the Philippines for decades have shutdown their operations just recently at the wake of the financial crisis. Thousands became unemployed. Even the supposedly growing BPO industry also have done some trimmings to streamline their operations. How about the government rationalization plans? Are these good indicators that the economy is indeed strong?
Unpopularity and Arrogance
President Arroyo is too arrogant and self-righteous to listen to her critics even if these critics are the majority of the Filipino people. She set the record lowest approval ratings at negative thirty-eight (-38%) in 2008 and maintained negative ratings since then. The Filipinos generally mistrust GMA but she is too arrogant to point out:
“I did not become President to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became President.”
She seems to have forgotten that as president, she serves the will of the people. What right does a president have to govern if he or she has already lost the mandate of the people? GMA defended the move to amend the constitution by saying:
“The noisiest critics of constitutional reform tirelessly and shamelessly attempted Cha-Cha when they thought they could take advantage of a shift in the form of government. Now that they feel they cannot benefit from it, they
oppose it.”
Patronizing, Lashing, and Begrudging
Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has not forgotten to praise and thank her allies in congress for passing “monumental” bills into law but she also has not forgotten to lash on her critics by saying:
“I am accused of misgovernance. Many of those who accuse me of it left me the problem of their misgovernance to solve. And we did it.
I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many 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 [note: this is obviously a veiled reference to former President Joseph Estrada].
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.”
Uncategorical and Vague
Although GMA mentioned that her term of office as president will end next year, she has not made a categorical statement that she will not seek to hold onto power by other means. She is most likely keeping her options open depending on where the political wind might blow. Most people who listened to the SoNA in radio and watched it on television were anticipating her to make categorical statement about her political plans but she has again chosen to be vague about it.
[Click here to download a PDF copy of the complete text of the 2009 SoNA]
Tags: 2009 SONA, 2009 state of the nation address, complete text of SONA, gloria macapagal-arroyo, SONA 2009 text
There is no clear statistics to the so-called majority of Filipinos who are anti-government. And may I make it clear that she is not the sole member of the so-called Philippine Government. There are communist-affiliated groups who are also part of the current regime. There are old politicians infamously called trapos. There are newbies who haven’t proven that much. It’s an interesting mix actually. Without our support, the government is useless. With some of the Filipinos’ victim complex of always complaining and blaming others for misfortunes, we can’t reach our full potential as a nation. I am still hopeful that the next regime (and I am not a fortune teller for guessing that it’s going to be Gloria again) will still have the support of the nation. If noisy minority keep on doing what they are doing, the pattern will be that no president will can serve the nation to the fullest because criticisms will always lead the every Filipino to fantasize of leading the nation on his own terms.
Hi Phil Guild Guide,
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.
Being a critic of an administration does not necessarily mean being anti-government. Actually the statistics are clear about what Filipinos think about Mrs Arroyo’s trust-worthiness.
This is based on the unbiased and scientific studies of SWS and Pulse Asia:
“The June 2009 SWS survey found that 26 percent of the respondents were satisfied, 56 percent were dissatisfied and 18 percent were undecided with Ms Arroyo’s performance for a “bad” net rating of -31 percent.
The May 2009 survey by Pulse Asia also showed that more Filipinos were critical of Ms Arroyo’s work, Twenty-six percent approved of her performance, but 46 percent disapproved, giving her a net of -20.”
[source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090727-217389/Arroyos-performance-trust-ratings
The nation cannot reach its full potential if the leaders are corrupt, selfish, and incompetent. It is not about having a “victim complex” or blaming the government. It is about pointing the mistakes and emphasizing the things that need to be improved. Constructive criticisms and exposing evils are different from mere complaining and putting blames.
SWS’ system of sampling is dysfunctional in that their survey demographics are undeclared, especially now that the nation’s citizen-oriented population is complex. There are even illegal aliens in the country. Filipinos are also OFWs. The population mix is so diverse to be able to base a thought of action on a survey in this age. Not every home here has an internet connection. I, for one, has never been sampled. I agree with you that criticism doesn’t make the one criticizing anti-something, but as a nation that needs to move forward, the revolutionary government that’s critical of itself is over. It’s in the past where we need to learn from, not to live. As with a child that has growth phases, the country, with its people, can stop being an adolescent after being abused in the ’70s. And to further paint a picture, we can’t stay hung up on a ex-flame. We can only learn lessons and continue to support each other with solutions that silence the corruption of bad politicians and citizens (because the normal person can also be corrupt by buying pirated DVDs, littering, bypassing one’s immediate superior at the office, rumor-mongering the neighbor, etc., boarding buses and cabs in designated areas). Understand that one’s false way of dealing with one’s government officials can be a collective ideal. This means, that if one is optimistic, then 10,000 Filipinos are optimistic. Why do we even want 10,000 Filipinos who are pessimistic by habit? I don’t want to doubt that the next President will be supported by advocacy groups pretending to be not communists. I’ve seen them rally against the government regardless who the president is. Heck, my cousin and her family were always paid a thousand pesos each for going to rallies. Anyway, I’m still thankful that there are Filipinos who love the country the right way… those without victim complex. I just hope that those with the incessant need to blame others for bad things will be responsible enough to help themselves first. I’ve read in the christian bible that we will always have the poor with us. Even other gurus of thought do not believe in utopia. What we can have are improved lives that can help those who need improvement. This challenges the abuse of criticism as a human right.
By the way, nice site. Thanks for the platform.