Monday, July 26, 2010

REACTION PAPER ON THE SONA-STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2010 BY PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO III

REACTION PAPER ON THE SONA-STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2010 BY PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO III


The first STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS OF President Benigno Aquino III after his election was delivered at the joint session of the Congress of the Philippines on July 26, 2010.

The SONA can be summarized into two basic parts. The first part enumerates the sins, incompetence and the alleged anomalies of the past administration which result into contributing factors why the new leader feels that he is facing problems to deliver his promises.

The second part includes the solutions and strategies he want to adopt to solve the perceived problems in order to promote prosperity and peace for the nation. At the end, he enjoined the people to participate in this gargantuan task which he and the people he appointed in the different positions would carry out to make the people’s dream a reality.
I feel that the address failed to convince me that we are going to the right direction.
To drive home my point, I am using a scale to weigh what the President said and compared it with mine.
Criticisms about the Past administration

P-Noy
Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.
My opinion:  The president should not expect the function of the Top leader of the Land to be a walk in the park.
The problem can not be solved by whining. Crying over spilt milk or blaming someone for a broken glass can not make the glass whole again. As his cabinet secretary had said, look forward and plan for the future.

P-Noy
Sa unang anim na buwan ng taon, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos. Sa target na kuleksyon, kinapos tayo ng 23.8 billion pesos; ang tinataya namang gastos, nalagpasan natin ng 45.1 billion pesos.
Ang budget po sa 2010 ay 1.54 trillion pesos.
Halos isang porsyento na lang po ng kabuuang budget ang natitira para sa bawat buwan.
Saan naman po dinala ang pera?
My opinion: These have been hammered to us by the media over and over again. Some people would think that there is something wrong with the budget because of the budget overruns and deficits.
Budgets are appropriations for the maintenance and operations of the different branches and agencies of the government. The funds are earmarked or appropriated for a particular project or expenditures.The funds are distributed for disbursements to the different agencies. Since payroll should be paid on a timely basis, they’re given priorities from the revenues generated by the government. Other capital expenditures wait for funding, either thru foreign aid or thru borrowings.

If they think money were diverted to other appropriations, then an investigation should be conducted and corrupt officials should be brought to the court.
The budget that they will be proposing is bigger than the budget for the current fiscal period which means that the budgeted expenditures may not have been enough to sustain the government operation.
Insinuations and innuendoes will bring injustice to people who are accused of mishandling funds. Accusations should be supported by documents. In this manner both sides are given their day in court,
P-Noy
On the calamity fund and MWSS payroll, benefits and other fringes.
Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.
My opinion: He claimed that there were already investigations conducted. If it were true that these people were midnight appointees, then by all means remove them from the positions. If they were appointed before the cut-off period, then they are not midnight appointees. If they are incompetent, then performance evaluation would help determine if they stay or not. Kung walang padrino. What if the padrino is a kamag-anak or a bid campaign donor?
Salary scales and fringes are not decided by the midnight appointees. They are approved by the Board. If there is overcompensation, then the solution is to talk to the Board.
P-Noy
Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.
My opinion:We do not wait for incompetent people to resign due to hiya. We evaluate their performance and kick them if they do not deliver. Civil service eligibility may give them job security but they can be transferred to Timbuktu or other department where they will do less harm and receive less compensation.
P-Noy
He made mention about one tax evader which unpaid taxes may not amout to billions but he failed to mention the biggest tax evader that they are dealing with, the local government formerly headed by his Vice-President.

My opinion: Malayo ang tanaw pero nasa malapit lang ang dapat tingnan.
Let Purisima take care of the economic and fiscal policies and leave the tax evaders to the commissioners.
Part 2 . His Recommended Solutions
One of his recommendations is:
Marami na pong nag-alok at nagmungkahi sa atin, mula lokal hanggang dayuhang negosyante, na magpuno ng iba’t ibang pangangailangan.

My opinion: What is the guarantee that there is no corruption as greasing from the interested parties to get the contract?
For his other ideas, I find them motherhood statements. But then I am giving him the opportunity to prove himself, that this SONA is not all bark.

Conclusion:
I find the SONA wanting from other elements to make it a blueprint for our future. Other economic indicators such as the GDP growth, the balance of payment surplus where the past administration will score high were intentionally omitted.
I believe therefore that this Sona is a mere list of gripes and dreams and hopes.
So help us God.

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