It’s a refreshed MetroManila one saw after more than a week of continuous rains brought about by typhoons Egay, Dodong and Falcon. I am talking about streets where litter have been swept away by rainwater, lawn plants seemed more robust and green, and air was more breathable.
But these typhoons created havoc, too- Php54m worth of crops and property destroyed; floodwaters in Mindanao (rare), other provinces and of course, as always, parts of MetroManila; people lost at sea; casualties and fear in the hearts of many traumatized by the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy more than a year ago..
Many were surprised when, in the midst of the continuing rains, Pampanga Cong. Gloria Arroyo invited media for a press conference in her Lubao residence. Hmmm, baka naman bagu- bagong balita, sabi ng presspeople, maiba naman from puro floodings na inirireport nang halos araw- araw, anila. And so, sa ngalan ng journalism, appear ang members of the press sa Lubao, Pampanga.
At sa saliw ng mga bumababang tubig ulan mula sa medya- agua, alulod, at mga stainless gutters, tahasang binanatan ng dating Pangulo ng Bansa ang ngayo’y Pangulo ng Bansa at ang kanyang buong team sa pagpapabayang di pagpapatuloy ng mga naimbak na ‘GAINS’, magagandang napasimulan na ng Arroyo admin na ngayo’y baka tuluyang mawala at masayang na lamang. Sinasayang lang daw ni PNoy ang mga prutas ng mga pinagpunyagi ni former Pres. GMA sa loob ng siyam (9) na taong panunungkulan nya sa Malacanang.
Mantakin natin, ‘very strong’ daw po ang ekonomiya ng bayan na nakita during the global economic crisis. Ngayon naman daw na medyo nagri recover na ang Asian region, heto naman ang Pinas whose economy seems to be ‘decelerating’- galing yan kay ex- Pangulong Arroyo ha?
A few days passed after that presscon at ang madlang Pinoy waited for the Aquino administration’s reaction- hmmm, wala pa. Guilty ba sila sa bintang ni Mrs. Arroyo?
HINDI PO- yan ang sabi naman ng mga alipores ng Administrasyon. Paano po naman kami makasasagot agad e bising bisi kami sa relief, rescue, at kung anu ano pang operation(tulad ng pagtatanggal ng waterlily sa 30 hectares na katubigan sa bandang Mindanao, a big cause of the floods there) in connection with the floods- wait lang muna please, kaligtasan ng mga Pinoy muna bago sagutin ang intriga. Napabilib ako sa stance na yan, sa totoo lang. Aksyon muna for the most immediate problems (the flooded), saka na ang waste of saliva answering accusations.
And,. .At last, sumagot din! Di na si PInoy ang nagdefend kundi members na rin ng kanyang working team- Joel Villanueva, head of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority( ahensyangbalitang malaki ang pondo because of the support of a number of foreign providers- JICA, ADB, etc.) revealed the bankruptcy and heavy indebtedness of TESDA. He also mentioned the previous administration’s irresponsibility in distributing 2 billion pesos worth of scholarship vouchers despite the lack of available funds in this institution. Nagpapogi points lang siguro sila noong nagpamudmod ng mga vouchers na ito- that’s coming from me.
Say naman ng Philippine Charity Sweepstakes- nagsilbi daw gatasan ng Arroyo administration ang PCSO at ngayon nga ay may unaccounted for na halagang Php4billion. Samantala, the National Food Authority says taob ang kaban sa kaiimporta ng kaban kabang bigas at exorbitant rates and such big volume.
‘What economic policies?’, ask naman ni Malacanang spokeslady Abigal Valte. ‘Ala daw syang nalalamang economic policies nina Gng Arroyo- ang maliwanag lang daw sa kanya are the economic policies being implemented by the present administration…and they seem to be working daw…
Budget Chief Florencio Abad meantime said they had to reveal the heavy indebtedness in most government agencies in order that the new projects and programs could be implemented better. According to some officials, mayron naman ding mga proyektong circa Arroyo ang itinutuloy ng kasalukuyang administrasyon- ito ay iyong mga nadidiskubreng may katuturan at kapakinabangan naman sa tao.
Ayon kay Abad, katawa tawa talaga ang pagli- lecture ng dating Propesorang si Mrs Arroyo on her economic gains samantalang alam ng bayan na wala na halos natira sa kabang- bayan nang siya ay lumisan sa Malacanang.
Take note, ang ipinamana daw is the largest projected fiscal deficit to date- Php325billion of gross domestic product, about 3.9%- ‘is this sustainable?’, Abad asks.
The Budget Chief also adds that when Pres. Aquino took over in July, 2010, more than 60% of the 2010 national budget was already disbursed by the outgoing Arroyo administration- 40% na lang ang naiwan with which the new President could operate for the remaining semester.
Isa pa sabi ni Abad, heto pa- the Arroyo administration also authorized the obligation of Php16.5 billion from the P67.98billion in congressional insertions supposedly on conditional veto (subject to new revenues to be raised) that did not happen.
As an afterthought perhaps, dahil nga siguro sa panay hampas ng ulan these days …Abad reveals the replenishment of the 2010 calamity fund, so vital especially during this season of typhoons and rains…bago pa man daw pumasok ang mga bagyo(take note, Arroyo time pa rin ito) naubos na ang sitenta porsyento (70%)ng Php2 billion pondong ito, hosme! Saan naman kayang kalamidad ginamit ni Mrs Arroyo ito, nagtatanong lang.
Today, administration officials bask in the knowledge that the nation’s credit standing is getting better. Spokesperson Valte says the upgrade that the country got from credit rating agencies signify that government was on track, particularly on fiscal management.
Who said ‘natutulog sa pansitan’ ang Aquino administration? I would like to think that tahimik but very sure na naglilinis ito ng mga makakapal na duming iniwan ng nakaraang dispensation, umaalam and implementing bagong patakaran na makapagpapabuti at makakasalba sa ating nangangatog na ekonomiya.
Think positive, di ba?
Sabi nga ng latest survey, it’s too early to tell- magtatagumpay ba si PNoy or Talo?
THANK YOU, TORONTO!
