Yup, say that it a horror tune.
How to start writing about 2009's S.O.N.A.? I don't really know.
I got a pen and paper, as usual, to take down notes. I reserved the top part of the paper for the tally of applause given by the very attentive audience.
Notes:
Strong economy despite the global recession
Popularity is not important, right decisions are ("...political price of doing the right thing")
New tax revenues - sin taxes instead of taxing books
Infrastructure projects (roads, airports, seaports)
Agricultural reform (giving land titles)
Addressed issue on drop calls and cellphone loads
Government salaries raised
Achievements in tourism
Cash hand-outs (stimulating effects in the economy)
Inflation dropped to 1.5% by lowering interest rates
Over a million jobs created (each year)
Cheap medicine (RiteMed)
Lowered public debt to half
Improved banking system
Investment in food and education
OFW protection
yadayadayadayada
I stopped writing, I just continued to tally since it got boring.
Achievements were as always, a bit shallow in description. What is the nature of jobs created? Yung mga contractual na nag-wawalis sa tulay? Nung kelan may nabundol na nagwawalis sa Kaipunan bridge, bumagsak sa kalsada at na-hit and run ng van. Mga ganong trabaho ba?
Laid the foundations so that the Philippines could join the first world in 20 years? I find it difficult to know how. The rise of foreign investments are a bit vague. It increased but relatively, is it high? When you compare it with investments in other countries, do we rise up from the ranks of the poor nations? Sure, the economy is in a "decent" state; not so much impoverished, not so much devastated. Is there a better state? I do not know, ask an economist. We are lagging behind. In S.E.A. we are better off compared to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia. Is that the nature of our achievements?
The Philippines will chair the review of the nuclear weapons non-proliferation Treaty in New York in May 2010. Well, yeah. Good diplomatic achievement for the Philippines. I say saling kit-kit lang tayo jan, wala naman tayong nuclear arms.
The biggest statement I guess was the claim that people who perceived they were poor dropped by 2M. It was like a huge bang! with no follow up. Ok bumaba siya - Where? Baka naman itong mga nagsabing hindi na sila mahirap e yung mga may mga kamag-anak na nakapag-abroad bilang DH o ano man. Ang daming layers ng masang Pilipino: mahirap, mahirap pa sa mahirap, mas mahirap pa sa daga etc. Sa bagay kung may naalis man sa hirap maganda yun db? Pero and matinding tanong ay How? Were your survey questions reflective of one's perception of poverty? Baka naman binago niyo na naman yung parameters at standards sa pag tingin sa kahirapan. Ano na ba ang minimum na batayan niyo sa pang-araw-araw na gastusin? Baka naman 20php na lang ha. O baka naman kapag sinabing nakakakain ng isang beses isang araw, di na mahirap. I think she owes it to the people to elaborate on this. Poverty is not just any other problem of this country because it is, if not the root cause, the excruciating effect of almost all other problems.
So there, I will stop at these points (I still have articles to read)
I just like to quote some things. First, I hope G.M.A. would really oppose taxing books.
"Taxes should come from alcohol and tobacco and not from books. Tax hazards to lungs and livers, do not tax minds. Ang kita mula sa buwis sa alak at sigarilyo ay dapat gamitin sa kalusugan at edukasyon. Pondohan ang Philhealth premiums ng pinakamahihirap. Pondohan ang mas maraming classroom at computers."
I think she said this in a decent though a bit dramatic way. Do this.
(2nd) The President is in a nice mood. It was awkward for me to watch those smiles that seemed to almost turn into a soft laughter. What's with that? Maybe she's thrilled, excited to throw those "witty" lines more often reffered to in Philippine language as "pasaring" or "parinig".
"To those who want to be President, this advice: If you really want something done, just do it. Do it hard, do it well. Don’t pussyfoot. Don’t pander. And don’t say bad words in public."
"Those in the past administrations conjured the demon of foreign debt. We exorcised it."
"Compare this to 2001, when some of my current critics were driven out by people power. Asia was surging but our country was on the brink of bankruptcy."
"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."
"At the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage, but not from the Presidency."
"As the campaign unfolds and the candidates take to the airwaves, I ask them to talk more about how they will build up the nation rather than tear down their opponents. Give the electorate real choices and not just sweet talk."
"But I never declared martial law, though they are running scared as if I did. In truth, what they are really afraid of is their weakness in the face of this self-imagined threat."
"I never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term. Many of those who accuse me of it tried to cling like nails to their posts."
"I am accused of misgovernance. Many of those who accuse me of it left me the problem of their misgovernance to solve."
"I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime."
"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."
Grabe naman ang finger pointing ano, pero may mga linya ding ewan ko ba pero nakakatawa lang.
"EPIRA dismantled monopoly. Ngunit minana natin ang power purchase agreements, kaya hindi pa natin makamtan yung buong intended effect. Pero happy na rin tayo, dahil isang taon na lamang iyan." (Eh yung "Pero happy na rin tayo said in a very G.M.A. way)
"We love you, Leah!"
"Ang ating taong bayan ay masipag at maka-Diyos. These qualities are epitomized in someone like Manny Pacquiao….Manny trained tirelessly, by the book, with iron discipline, with the certain knowledge that he had to fight himself, his weaknesses first, before he could beat his opponent. That was the way to clinch his victories and his ultimate title: ang pinakadakilang boksingero sa kasaysayan. Mabuhay ka, Manny!"
