Q&A on the Aquino administration

The Manila Times
Published : Wednesday, December 28, 2011 00:00
Written by : EFREN L. DANAO

Q: What are the biggest achievements of the Aquino administration?

A: The detention of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Q: Explain the reason for such choice

A: The President had said that GMA would be in prison by December, and he is a man of his word. He has also relentlessly pursued the impeachment of CJ Corona and got the wholesale cooperation of 188 congressmen, most of whom signed the Articles of Impeachment without reading them. These two achievements are roundly approved by the people, based on surveys by the Social Weather Stations and so they enhanced the President’s popularity.

Q: How has the President progressed in his fight against corruption?

A: The President considers the arrest of GMA the crown jewel of his fight against corruption. He also deems CJ Corona the main stumbling block to his war against corruption. Once CJ Corona is found guilty by the Senate, you may expect the fight against corruption to gain much headway.

The administration has also ordered a slowdown in spending despite budget authorization to lessen corruption and budget deficit. Public works are among the main causes of corruption. The fewer the public works projects launched, the fewer the incidence of corruption.

Q: Jueteng and drugs are still rampant. Jueteng and drugs are said to be the root causes of corruption. Do GMA and CJ Corona have anything to do with these?

A: None, but the Aquino administration can focus only on one thing at a time. Once he is through with his two top enemies, he can concentrate on the lesser enemies like illegal numbers game and illegal drugs.

Q: During the campaign, the President correctly said that Filipinos should not be working abroad, and criticized the economy’s reliance on remittances from OFWs. What has he done to ensure the employment of OFWs who decide to return?

A: None. He said he wanted them to work here but did not say he would give them work. This might come later. In the meantime, the Philippine economy remains reliant on remittances of OFWs.

Q: The President showed he would not countenance incompetence among public servants when he fired the chief of PAG-ASA for not correctly predicting the path of a disastrous typhoon. Why hasn’t he fired PAG-ASA officials who also were off-mark in their predictions, and the bumbling DILG officials involved in the Luneta hostage fiasco?

A: Malacanang said the time for finger-pointing is over. What’s more, those DILG officials are his appointees. And why should he fire his appointees? They could not do wrong. And if they do something wrong, why, keep them off the public radar to keep the outcry for their heads from boiling over.

Q: The President said “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” Surveys showed there are now more poor and hungry people than in the GMA administration. Does this mean corruption has increased under the Aquino administration?

A: No, not at all! Poverty has increased because of the worldwide recession and not because of mis-steps by the current administration in its drive against corruption. In fact, it has ordered the arrest of GMA and the impeachment of CJ Corona.

Q: What has the administration done to reduce poverty?

A: It has increased the number of recipients of its Conditional Cash Transfer program. This is the main cog of the administration’s strategy to minimize poverty. The more people receiving government dole-outs, the fewer remain poor.

Q: The Philippine economy is falling. In fact it did better under the much-maligned GMA administration. What has the Aquino administration done to improve the situation?

A: It has ordered the arrest of GMA and the impeachment of CJ Corona.

Q: Isn’t that begging the question?

A: Well, the administration has been trying to keep itself from discussing the economy. At the forum organized by Makati businessmen, President talked not about the economy but about the stumbling blocks posed by CJ Corona and the Supreme Court.

Q: Why should it be afraid to discuss the economy?

A: The people have not been complaining about the economy anyway. So, why should the administration talk about something where it would be placed on the defensive? What’s more, any discussion of the issue might make the people realize that they are now worse off despite the detention of GMA and the impeachment of CJ Corona.

Q: What will happen in the coming year?

A: The administration will continue to harp on the arrest of GMA and the impeachment of CJ Corona until year-end. It could even wage a “shame” campaign” to force CJ Corona to resign without undergoing impeachment trial. Then, it could put a cap to its glorious campaign against corruption in government and win big in the May 2013 election.

efrendanao2003@yahoo.com