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]
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