‘No monkey business in first 100 days’
President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III remained quiet during his first 100 days in office, but this does not mean he took each and every criticism sitting down.
During his speech before various sectors at the La Consolacion College in Manila, Aquino this time took his chance to lambast the previous administration comparing it to the pictorial maxim of the 3 monkeys who “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
“Malalim at malawak po ang mga problemang minana natin. Nag-ugat ito sa isang gobyernong parang tatlong matsing na nagbingi-bingihan, nagbulag-bulagan, at gumawa ng sariling katotohanan,” he said.
He trumpeted gains in good governance, such as stopping anomalous contracts and big spending by the Arroyo administration.
Aquino said he was able to save billions of pesos as a result of his unrelenting fight against corruption.
He also put a stop to big allowances of officials of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).
He said Filipinos now have a government they can depend on – one that can ensure that every peso paid in taxes will translate to better services.
Excesses will be stopped
He cited the excesses several officials of GOCCs had received in terms of fat paychecks and bonuses.
Like in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), Aquino again cited as example the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) which failed to follow Memorandum Order No. 20 that has been in place since June 2001.
“Sa isang kumpanya lang po tulad ng MWSS, ang napigil nating mahulog sa bulsa ng bawat opisyal ay umabot na sa P2.5 million kada taon,” he said.
He also cited the now up and running Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, which did not see its full capacity during the previous years due to cases before international courts.
“Sila po ang mga tunay na bida sa kaso, ngunit death threats pa po ang ibinayad sa kanila. Tila ba nagkulang sa aruga ang nakaraang gobyerno,” he said of Justices Florentino Feliciano and Meilou Sereno who helped the country exert its right over the terminal.
He also took note of the negotiated contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Ginawa lang po natin kung ano ang tama, napigil na po natin ang paglustay ng P934.1 million, at lumalabas na kung susunod tayo sa tamang proseso ay nasa P600 million lang ang dapat gastusin sa mga proyektong ito,” he added.
The same goes for contracts implemented by the departments of Transportation and Communications and Agriculture. With Aquino at the helm, the government was able to save P1 billion and P30 million, respectively.
“May proyektong inaprubahan ang dating administrasyon, huhukayin daw nila ang Laguna de Bay para palalimin ito…Ang tanong ko, saan ililipat ang lupa? Ang tatanggalin sa Laguna de Bay, itatambak lang din pala sa ibang bahagi ng Laguna de Bay,” he said ironically.
He said the government would have spent a staggering P18.5 billion for this contract that also did not go through the proper processes.
All-time highs
Filipinos have felt conveniences and economic turnarounds in only 3 months, he said.
This is unlike the past administration that even managed in its 3,448 days in office to pursue programs inconsistent with laws, he added.
“Napansin n’yo po ba, pati ‘yung weather forecasting gumanda? Napansin n’yo po ba na hindi na paulit-ulit ang mga mensahe ng PAGASA,” he noted.
Among the noteworthy projects and achievements he mentioned were:
- zero-based budgeting: he said the savings were earmarked for education, health and poverty reduction;
- strengthening of conditional cash transfer program;
-World Bank grant of $59.1 million for the KALAHI-CIDSS program;
- foreign direct investments worth more than $2 billion, translating to automatic 43,600 jobs;
-strengthening of public-private partnerships;
- all-time high gross international reserves, now at $52.3 billion;
- the strengthening of the peso and the local bourse rallying to new highs;
- $430 million from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant;
- successful delisting of the country from list of OECD: he said the government’s program against tax evaders has given tipsters the courage to come forward.
‘The wrongs have got to stop’
“Kung mayroon po tayong pagkukulang, ito marahil ay ang hindi natin naging kaugalian na ipamalita ang mga tagumpay na ating nakamit. Mas binibigyan natin ng halaga ang paghahanap ng mga paraang makatutulong sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.
He said, however, that these criticisms will not stop the government from pursuing its line established since day 1.
“Kayong mga mali ang palakad at pinipinsala ang mga kababayan natin, may taning kayong lahat,” Aquino said.
With reports from Ira Pedrasa
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