President’s SoNA applauded 104 times by Congress audience
By EDMER F. PANESA
Administration lawmakers were all praises for President Arroyo’s eighth State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA), which was applauded 104 times by a full-packed House of Representatives plenary hall.
"A real good speech, which did not however gloss over the hard work and sacrifices we all have to make in these trying times. She laid out the road and if we’ll follow it, it will lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel," said Kampi Rep. Antonio Alvarez of Palawan.
NPC Rep. Abraham Mitra of Palawan said, "If the SONA was a dish, it was full of calories for agriculture. It had the right mix of tactical and strategic solutions to the food crisis. If her agriculture officials can follow her prescriptions, then a rich harvest awaits us."
NPC Rep. Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela City said the President’s speech has "very concrete detailed plans to solve hunger and transparent accounting for the proceeds of the expanded valueadded tax (EVAT)."
On the other hand, opposition lawmakers described Mrs. Arroyo’s SONA as a mere rhetoric.
"At the end of the day, people would wake up tomorrow morning knowing what we heard today is the usual fairytale story we hear every year," said Rep. Joel Villanueva of the Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party-list.
"It’s a little too late. This is her eighth SONA and she seems to be just showing care and concern for the poor. Although she needs more convincing power for the poor to believe that she can still do anything from this, her second to the last SONA," he added.
In describing the President’s SONA, Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza said, "What with lies as your staple and empty promises for dessert."
"President Arroyo’s SONA is replete with fake economic gains and bandaid solutions to the worsening poverty," Maza added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago said: "What our country needs is constructive criticism, not a political culture of hatred. President Arroyo has only two more years to go, and she is trying to build a legacy. To achieve this, she is working like a perpetual-motion machine, beyond ordinary human endurance. She has no constitutional duty to control global commodity prices."
Santiago said, "Politics is a constant war, and in warfare the first casualty is the truth. Do the Arroyo critics have a monopoly of the truth? Under the Rules of Court, President Arroyo is entitled to the presumption that official duty has been regularly performed. If she hasn’t, let’s hear some alternative solutions, not empty calls for destruction."
"For me, the highest concern is not the spikes in oil and food prices, but the inflation rate. An Asia-Pacific economist has already warned that inflation is the largest risk to Asian growth since the 1997 financial crisis.
"We have to warn the public that interest rates and credit will tighten, in order to control inflation. Unfortunately, these measures will suppress investment and consumption. Hence, there is danger that GNP growth might slow down."
According to Santiago, "We need President Arroyo, as an economist, to design economic policy that will balance rapid price increases on the one hand, with economic growth on the other hand. That is a very tricky tightrope act. Do her critics have any brilliant ideas?"
source :
http://www.mb.com.ph/MAIN20080729131027.html