July 24, 2006 · Posted in: Governance, In the News, SONA
Arroyo vows to bring the country to ‘prosperity’
IN her State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised economic reforms and a long list of big-ticket infrastructure projects that, according to her, will help put the country “on the path to prosperity.”
“I am not here to talk about politics; I am here to talk about what the people want,” the chief executive said in opening her 70-minute speech that was reportedly interrupted by applause 164 times from a predominantly pro-Arroyo audience of national and local government officials at the Batasan.
The President’s sixth SONA was marked mostly by promises of massive infrastructure plans that include highways, airports, trains, and bridges to be built in several areas in the country.
Some of the major infrastructure programs include roads linking the North Expressway to C-5 and the South Luzon Expressway all the way to Batangas; the expansion of the San Roque Mutipurpose dam; the Subic-Clark corridor which is being built as an international logistics center; and the construction of an international airport in the north and upgrading of several airports in Mindanao.
“By estimates, we would need half a trillion pesos to fund these massive infrastructure projects,” University of the Philippines economics professor Benjamin Diokno, a former budget secretary under the short-lived Estrada administration, said.
Cavite Rep. Gilbert Remulla asked: “Where will we get the money? The devil is in the details.”
Remulla said that with the country’s fiscal state and at the rate tax collection is going, it is nearly impossible for the President to achieve all of her proposed infrastructure programs even before her term ends in 2010.
But House committee on appropriations chair Joey Salceda said that the government has enough money to fund the infrastructure program. However, he also said the President should have asked Congress to pass the 2006 budget as it would would infuse an additional P135 billion.
In her speech, the President laid out the infrastructure projects for the four, newly-established four mega regions: North Luzon, Metro Luzon, Central Philippines, and Mindanao.
The creation of the four super regions, Arroyo stressed, is for economic and political power to be decentralized from “Imperial Manila.”
North Luzon includes Regions I, II, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Aurora and Nueva Ecija. Metro Luzon comprises Regions III, 4IV-A, and the National Capital Region. Central Philippines, meanwhile, includes regions IV-B, V to VIII. Mindanao is composed of Regions IX to XIII, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Arroyo said her government will prioritize agribusiness investments in North Luzon and Mindanao, tourism investments in Central Philippines, and industrial and services centers in Metro Luzon or the Urban Beltway. The President also mentioned the creation of a Cyber Corridor that will run the length of all the super regions.
Moreover, Arroyo reported that her government has made progress in the three-phase plan to eliminate the country’s debts, to generate funding for social services and education, and to invest in the country’s natural resources.
“On many fronts, your government is working, and working well,” Arroyo said, adding that the economy has been growing for 22 consecutive quarters, the longest period in the last quarter-century.
And because of the economic reforms, Arroyo said the government has now enough funding to address the following:
Terrorism and lawless violence
Graft and corruption
Charter change
Electoral reform
Moreover, to be “world-class,” the President identified five “comprehensive strategies” that the country has to focus on:
1. Make food plentiful and affordable to keep labor cost globally competitive
2. Reduce the cost of electricity to make factories regionally competitive
3. Modernize infrastructure to efficiently transport goods and people
4. Mobilize, upgrade and disseminate knowledge and technologies for productivity
5. Reduce red tape in all agencies to cut business costs
To meet the targets, Arroyo pushed for constitutional change, which she says will help bring about economic reforms and new investments.
The President further said that for the country to progress, there must be peace and order. She said the government is bent on ending the “long oppression of barangays by rebel terrorists who will kill without qualms” through the leadership of Army 17th Infantry Division Major General Jovito Palparan.
After commending Palparan, who has been accused of ordering the killings of several activists, Arroyo said she condemns political killings and urged witnesses to come forward and help the government stop extrajudicial executions.
Remulla was disappointed that the President failed to report on matters like education, population, graft and corruption and the country’s “moral bankruptcy.”
The President also made no mention of the new impeachment complaints filed against her, but said towards the end of her speech: “For those who want to pick up old fights, we’re game but what a waste of time. Why not join hands instead?”
“For surely, there must be a better way to do politics, so that those who lose elections do not make the country pay for their frustrated ambitions. There must be a better way so that those who win the nation’s mandate to govern can work without delay and whimsical obstruction. There must be a better way,” she added.
Arroyo promised to relinquish her post by 2010.
Read the President’s address.
22 Responses to Arroyo vows to bring the country to ‘prosperity’
Chabeli
July 24th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
The SONA was nothing more than one big political fiesta where majority were composed of GMAs loyal lap dogs. What was a comedy were the cheers from her lap dogs–either they are really STUPID or simply, gullible, or maybe they enjoyed listening to their teacher giving them a crash course in Philippine Geography. GMA used a different political tactic. But she still talked like a duck, and walked like duck, so it was the same ol’ GMA duck sh*t.
Since the Philippines is still suffering from a deficit, where will the country get the money to realize all the blah-blah she said? To GMA: It’s still the economy, stupid!
Chabeli
July 24th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
“For surely, there must be a better way to do politics, so that those who lose elections do not make the country pay for their frustrated ambitions BY CHEATING. There must be a better way so that those who win the nation’s mandate to govern LEGITIMATELY can work without delay and whimsical obstruction. There must be a better way,” she added.
(I think GMA forgot to add some WORDS.)
tongue in, anew
July 25th, 2006 at 8:44 am
You call that a SONA? I thought it was a lecture in geography written for the public works secretary, delivered in a Lakas-CMD thanksgiving party!
baycas
July 25th, 2006 at 8:47 am
utang na loob, kung uutangin lang…maghunus-dili naman!
—–
sona’s blow by blow account here.
decoys landed in two choppers,
while bogus arrived in a car.
she usually go there by air,
nevertheless, most we’ve heard was hot air.
—–
i pity the impeachers
for bogus considers it game.
this early they will be losers;
as last year’s, she’ll DEAL with this just the same.
jester-in-exile
July 25th, 2006 at 10:47 am
here’s more, chabeli:
she also left many things unsaid.
jester-in-exile
July 25th, 2006 at 11:09 am
more:
more later.
joselu
July 25th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
I think the SONA was good.GMA spoke from a position of strenght.I could just imagine all of GMA’s “best freinds” grinding their teeth in inis & anger.
I think she tried to highlight people who made a difference.I think the significance of the old man from Ifugao was that he was more concerned for the future of his grandson.
I think that we too must be concerned of those who will come after us.that is why we should be more concerned of building something now.
Critis will always questions the zillions needed for the projects GMA mentioned.
But in a way I think it’s secondary.what is important is that we want them because they will produce growth.any problem is overcomed only when we really want it for our good.
I think she was speaking as president of the entire Philippines.
I think like it or not GMA is providing the leadership the country needs. Sadly, the problem is that certain groups are dead-set on their own agendas leadership or not.
If we only concentrate on what is good for this one country that we have. We can ALL be winners.
But id we continue w/ just making noise endlessly & never accepting realities.We only have ourselves to blame.
jester-in-exile
July 25th, 2006 at 3:33 pm
sure we will! all we have to do is follow her example!
LET’S ALL LIE, CHEAT, AND STEAL! LET’S ALL BE MANIPULATIVE, MACHIAVELLIAN, AND VENAL!
for instance, instead of making the PRC punish the cheats during the nursing board, let the cheats come out, say that they “made a grave lapse in judgment and are sorry,” then pass them with flying colors!
thanks, but no thanks.
Global News Blog » Philippines - 24 - Impeach bid still far from succeeding
July 25th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
[…] Arroyo vows to bring the country to prosperity Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Philippines – 20 hours agoIN her State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised economic reforms and a long list of big-ticket infrastructure … […]
am
July 25th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
The good thing about the SONA is that it made filipinos dream and it recognized the efforts of local leaders (even sportsmen/women and a beauty queen. While the filipino stomach is empty, to give dreams could be a pallative solution. But untill when?
jester-in-exile
July 25th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
am,
not to split hairs, but to say “a pallative solution” is an oxymoron. a thing can be either a pallative or a solution… but you’re right. the question is: until when?
if GMA intends to fill noypi stomachs with dreams, expect an increase in the death toll due to starvation.
jr_lad
July 25th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
mukhang successful nga ang SONA ni gma basi sa palakpakan ng mga “enchanted” guests nia. bawat buka ng bunganga ni gloria may palakpak kaagad na katapat. it was really a position of strength. pati teynga ni jdv pumapalakpak.
joselu
July 25th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
I guess some people are just hypnotized by the “mantra” the opposition has spread around – lieing, cheating & stealing –
it’s sad that people get enslaved to such thinking or non thinking.
it’s only proof of what the power of media means.
it also shows that repeating a lie so many times makes it true – but is it really true?
if only people hypnotize themselves to be achivers of great things & to be able to make a difference.
then we can really be winners.
jester-in-exile
July 25th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
track record of GMA and her minions’ promises:
she ran for office.
she and her minions have taken full responsibility for blocking the impeachment try.
solved, meaning cases filed, but arrests? nah. and on another page on this blog is a list of thus-far unsolved murders.
from a PCIJ report: “Comparing Arroyo’s achievement in terms of creating new and permanent jobs to that of her predecessors — the Ramos and Estrada administrations, Fortaleza says she is ‘no better and is in fact far slower.’
yup. budget increase to P1 trillion, kid-glove treatment of jocelyn bolante, et cetera et cetera.
EO 464, PP 1017, GO 4, monitoring of the media, filing of rebellion cases against dissenting officers. et cetera. ’nuff said.
“I… AM… SHORRY.”
need anything more be said? joselu is right, in a manner of speaking… repeat a lie often enough and fools will accept it as truth.
chekwa
July 25th, 2006 at 7:25 pm
joselu mag spell check ka naman, nakakasakit ng ulo basahin ang blog mo, kung di mo kaya magF7, tagalog na lang gamitin mo, mas maniniwala pa ako sayo at sa mga sinasabi mo.
wondering kung bakit puro palakpak ang naririnig sa SONA? kasi puro tauhan ni demonya ang nasa loob. bakit di nila subukang papasukin ang nagrarally sa labas, ewan ko lang kung may marinig sila kahit isang palakpak.
ayan, simula na naman ng pangangarap ni pandak.yung mga project na sinabi nya, magkano na naman kaya ang para sa sariling bulsa? at pwede ba, mangungutang na naman yan, di talaga marunong maawa sa mga Pilipino.
GOD SAVE THE PHILIPPINES!
lutongmakaw
July 25th, 2006 at 7:28 pm
I really admire GMA in her tenacity in delivering her sixth SONA. It’s getting better each year. I’m dead sure Imee Marcos will scream in envy that GMA had surpassed her late father when it comes to having the most cheers on every word she uttered and the longest applause ever on a SONA.
The messages and the road map she heartily delivered amid her minions and cohorts who treasured each empty promises notwithstanding, and the paradigm of putting up infra-structures to benefit the Filipinos that are part and partial of her taking us to enchanted kingdom when her term is over is nothing but rhetoric that only GMA can muster with ease and naturalness.
Having said that, I would like to nominate her the Best Oratorical Award for year 2006.
WALA BA KAYONG KAMAY? PALAKPAK NAMAN DYAN !!!!
aus_phil
July 25th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
The opposition could not swallow the achievement of Pres. GMA. They have nothing to offer except resorting to numerous impeachment that will never succeed. Nothing concrete has been offered by the opposition, even the various bills never progressed because they are bent on kicking PGMA at all costs, not mindful of their roles in society. Sometimes it is better for someone who might have very low or negative rating than someone who is very popular or “maka masa” kuno but does nothing. The Philippines needs an opposition that is a working opposition, not a hopeless, do nothing and non-performing one as it is now! We could all bent our anger to the government but in the end we should ask first ourselves if we have really contributed to the nation-building!
naykika
July 25th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
The Presient SONA is somehow Comparable to our own annual Budget Day, where our Finance Minister will report on Government Accomplishment and Future Programmes and Projects. But with quiet a few difference. Usually for the new projects (assuming previous projects are in progress) the Minister will give us the cost and the financing. The target start and completion and the projected shortfall or suplus. The way I look at the President Sona, it was mostly projects and infrastructures, without giving the source of financing (specifics) and when. And what about the previous programmes and projects? What happened to them? What have been accomplished and not? To me she sounds and looks like a “Dream Merchant”. I have no other choice of word.
bernardocarpio
July 26th, 2006 at 3:03 am
Who cares about nation building? We don’t care if the economy is affected by our constant opposition to Gloria. This is our inherent right and absolute freedom. Who cares about the masa? We just want Gloria out.This is our gift to the Philippines our precious opinion nothing more.
tongue in, anew
July 26th, 2006 at 3:25 am
My God, those achievements claimed by Gloria and those future projects she further claims as her own are a small portion of Ferdinand Marcos’ 25-year Development Plan drafted in the 80’s. Try the Development Academy of the Philippines’ library or the UP Main Library (or the UP School of Economics libe) and see for yourself.
Di lang yung pera ni Makoy ang nilustay, pati ba naman vision niya ninanakaw pa?
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August 25th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
[…] “Indeed upgrading infrastructure is consistent with the sense of an economy poised for take-off,” Malaluan writes, referring to the promises listed by Mrs. Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address. “In contrast, the education crisis, precarious production, and a grim state of employment and income, are not.” […]