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2 years ago
State of the Nation Address 2009
“I did not become president to become popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became president.” These are the words uttered by Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as she opened her speech on the Country’s status. Indeed almost everyone, most especially in the National Capital Region, prepared for this day to either listen or contest her State of the Nation Address.
As expected, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo focused on her administration’s achievements economically, politically, and socially. She started her speech by stating that the State of the country’s economy is a strong one. She boasted that her administration’s economic plans are centered on putting the Filipinos first. Among her achievements, she said with pride that the Philippines had the lowest inflation rate since 1966 under her administration. She said that she was able to generate 8 million jobs for needy Filipinos – an average of 1 million jobs a year. She also boasted that the Philippine economy posted uninterrupted growth for 33 quarters since 2001. However, as I was listening to her delivery, I cannot but get dismayed for she showed mostly statistical figures that held no significance for the ordinary Filipino. Given that her administration was really able to uplift the nation’s economy, I pose this question: “Was it really felt by the Filipinos at the grassroots?” As she said, it is good news for the people and bad news for her critics. But is such the real case?
President Gloria Arroyo firmly believes that the laws and proposals passed by her administration has proved effective for weathering numerous crises the Philippines has undergone, most recently, the Global Financial Crisis. Thus, she repeatedly thanked the Philippine Congress for such support. She went as far as to say that if she listened to her proposal’s critics, then the Philippines would now be lying flat on its back – helpless, and will be requiring double effort just to get its feet back on ground.
Concerning the undying issue of Philippine foreign debt, PGMA has again boasted of her achievement for lowering the foreign debt to 55% of the country’s GDP in 2008. However, if I were to be asked if such really is an accomplishment, then I would say that such “feat” is still not worth noting. 55% is more than half of the country’s total production, and if one would think of it, it is still worth trillions of pesos, costing every Filipino citizen thousands of pesos just to be able to repay such huge amount of sum. It is distressing for more could have been done to lower our debts.
Regarding the issue of Philippine Education, PGMA has boasted that she had built 95,000 classrooms and has hired 65,000 teachers under her term for “Education is the great equalizer that allows every young Filipino a chance to realize their dreams.” Yet ironically, millions of students around the country are still out of school, or are braving the hardship of being squeezed inside a substandard classroom with a hundred or so others. Again, it is distressing for more could have been done.
On the issue of Charter Change, she did not have a firm statement if she will or will not pursue such an amendment of our Constitution. She also did not clarify her political plans after her term ends on 2010. Given that she will step down as President after her term in 2010, she still did not clarify whether she will retract from Power after 2010. It may just be her euphemistic statements for becoming a Prime Minister once Cha-Cha commences. She said that her term does not end until 2010, and until that time, there is still much to be done. I just hope that much will really be accomplished by that time.
The social issues I have raised above that President Arroyo have supposedly “answered” are only some of the numerous others that still need to be addressed. Given the fact that she was able to do such feats for this country, the question remains, was she able to accomplish it honestly and truthfully? Or did she do it with fraud and corruption? I asked this question for I firmly believe that the ends are just as important as the means.
Since 2001, she has been delivering her report regarding the status and the stand of the Philippines. 8 years have already passed since her first State of the Nation Address. And this is her last, hopefully her last.
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