President Benigno Aquino III delivered his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27, touting the accomplishments of his administration. Though he admitted he is not perfect, he said he did his best in the past five years.
A majority (64 percent) of Filipinos in America who voted in the online poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” affirms that PNoy has accomplished most of his campaign promises. There are those who declare that for them, Noynoy has proven to be the best president the country has had so far.
They cite the growing economy of the Philippines, job growth, and a more robust tourism industry.
“He is the best president, I believe, because he is able to make the Philippines rise up. We are now the new Tiger in Asia,” community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said on Balitang America in a report by Don Tagala.
“I really feel personally that the Philippines has been very blessed for having President Aquino, for the first time, we have something that is really a democratic Philippines,” Joe Ramos of US Pinoys for Good Governance said.
As in the Philippines, there are also Fil-Am groups who contend that PNoy has not accomplished anything, demanding that he resign immediately despite the fact that he only has less than a year to be in office.
Disappointed kababayans told Don Tagala on Balitang America:
“Sawang-sawa na kami sa ganitong gobyerno,” DJ Arucan of Gabriela Philippines said. “Ang panawagan namin impeachment o yung sukdulang pagpapatalsik sa isang regimen na – inutil na pinabayaan ang mamayang Pilipino.”
“During Benigno Aquino’s term, we have also seen migrant workers in the US subjected to terrible conditions. We have seen hundreds of cases of abuse and trafficked workers,” Lorena McRae of the Philippine Forum said.
McRae said the Philippine government has yet to shut down unscrupulous and abusive recruitment agencies, as well as prosecute those that prey on unsuspecting OFWs.
McRae said on Balitang America, “Itong mga tao na nagta-traffic ng migrant workers ay i-black list, tanggalin na yan sa sistema nila, hindi eh, nakakapasok pa rin sila eh.”
Others criticize him for being selective in his “Daang Matuwid” anti-corruption efforts, accusing him of being selective in running after crooks in government. They say he has spared his friends but prosecuted his foes.
“Mga appointee niya at sa mga kapartido niya marami ring guilty dito subalit wala pa sa kanila ang nasasampahan ng kaso,” Gary Labao of BAYAN-USA said on Balitang America. “Pinalinaw niya sa sambayanang Pilipino na wala siyang pinagkaiba sa panahon ni Marcos, sa panahon ni Arroyo, sa panahon ni Estrada at panahon ni Ramos, lahat sila pare-parehong mapagsamantala at nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan.”
There are also those who question his sincerity in his “Daang Matuwid” because like Senator Grace Poe, they too wonder why PNoy has not supported the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which to them is and should be part of the foundation of any anti-corruption effort.
Others point to PNoy’s failure to solve the problem of human rights violation. As Balitang America reported, at the International People’s tribunal held in Washington DC, “the people’s verdict has ran clear and true — President Aquino is guilty and must be held accountable for his crimes against the people,” said Natalie Agosto of the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP).
“The wages of Filipino workers that are continuously one of the lowest in Asia and this is the biggest failure that I think the Aquino government have, so ang final grade ko sa kanya ay F,” Anakbayan NJ’s Yves Nibungco said on Balitang America. “He has significantly failed in improving the lives of the Filipino people.”
In Los Angeles, Balitang America Correspondent Steve Angeles reported that activists called for the president’s impeachment amid what they called a failure to address corruption issues.
“We also recognize his impeachment will not solve everything. It doesn’t address the root causes or root problems of the Filipino people. Corruption is just one of them. But we know the power of the people to organize, to be in the streets, to call on the impeachment of President Aquino will be one victory,” said Bayan USA regional coordinator Theresa Jaramilla on Balitang America.
Alex Montances of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns told Angeles, “We really lost trust in the Philippine government and the Aquino administration, especially because Aquino said he’s supposed to be fighting corruption. Yet in his own administration, even with him and DAP, we are seeing incredible corruption”.
Many, however, are more forgiving, hoping that PNoy can still address other pressing problems of the country so the next administration can build on what he started — stopping corruption in government, improving on the infrastructure and mass public transportation system, giving more people access to health care, and continuing to grow the economy that will provide more jobs — so Filipinos do not need to leave their families and the Motherland in search of better opportunities abroad.
A majority (64 percent) of Filipinos in America who voted in the online poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” affirms that PNoy has accomplished most of his campaign promises. There are those who declare that for them, Noynoy has proven to be the best president the country has had so far.
They cite the growing economy of the Philippines, job growth, and a more robust tourism industry.
“He is the best president, I believe, because he is able to make the Philippines rise up. We are now the new Tiger in Asia,” community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis said on Balitang America in a report by Don Tagala.
“I really feel personally that the Philippines has been very blessed for having President Aquino, for the first time, we have something that is really a democratic Philippines,” Joe Ramos of US Pinoys for Good Governance said.
As in the Philippines, there are also Fil-Am groups who contend that PNoy has not accomplished anything, demanding that he resign immediately despite the fact that he only has less than a year to be in office.
Disappointed kababayans told Don Tagala on Balitang America:
“Sawang-sawa na kami sa ganitong gobyerno,” DJ Arucan of Gabriela Philippines said. “Ang panawagan namin impeachment o yung sukdulang pagpapatalsik sa isang regimen na – inutil na pinabayaan ang mamayang Pilipino.”
“During Benigno Aquino’s term, we have also seen migrant workers in the US subjected to terrible conditions. We have seen hundreds of cases of abuse and trafficked workers,” Lorena McRae of the Philippine Forum said.
McRae said the Philippine government has yet to shut down unscrupulous and abusive recruitment agencies, as well as prosecute those that prey on unsuspecting OFWs.
McRae said on Balitang America, “Itong mga tao na nagta-traffic ng migrant workers ay i-black list, tanggalin na yan sa sistema nila, hindi eh, nakakapasok pa rin sila eh.”
Others criticize him for being selective in his “Daang Matuwid” anti-corruption efforts, accusing him of being selective in running after crooks in government. They say he has spared his friends but prosecuted his foes.
“Mga appointee niya at sa mga kapartido niya marami ring guilty dito subalit wala pa sa kanila ang nasasampahan ng kaso,” Gary Labao of BAYAN-USA said on Balitang America. “Pinalinaw niya sa sambayanang Pilipino na wala siyang pinagkaiba sa panahon ni Marcos, sa panahon ni Arroyo, sa panahon ni Estrada at panahon ni Ramos, lahat sila pare-parehong mapagsamantala at nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan.”
There are also those who question his sincerity in his “Daang Matuwid” because like Senator Grace Poe, they too wonder why PNoy has not supported the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which to them is and should be part of the foundation of any anti-corruption effort.
Others point to PNoy’s failure to solve the problem of human rights violation. As Balitang America reported, at the International People’s tribunal held in Washington DC, “the people’s verdict has ran clear and true — President Aquino is guilty and must be held accountable for his crimes against the people,” said Natalie Agosto of the New York Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (NYCHRP).
“The wages of Filipino workers that are continuously one of the lowest in Asia and this is the biggest failure that I think the Aquino government have, so ang final grade ko sa kanya ay F,” Anakbayan NJ’s Yves Nibungco said on Balitang America. “He has significantly failed in improving the lives of the Filipino people.”
In Los Angeles, Balitang America Correspondent Steve Angeles reported that activists called for the president’s impeachment amid what they called a failure to address corruption issues.
“We also recognize his impeachment will not solve everything. It doesn’t address the root causes or root problems of the Filipino people. Corruption is just one of them. But we know the power of the people to organize, to be in the streets, to call on the impeachment of President Aquino will be one victory,” said Bayan USA regional coordinator Theresa Jaramilla on Balitang America.
Alex Montances of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns told Angeles, “We really lost trust in the Philippine government and the Aquino administration, especially because Aquino said he’s supposed to be fighting corruption. Yet in his own administration, even with him and DAP, we are seeing incredible corruption”.
Many, however, are more forgiving, hoping that PNoy can still address other pressing problems of the country so the next administration can build on what he started — stopping corruption in government, improving on the infrastructure and mass public transportation system, giving more people access to health care, and continuing to grow the economy that will provide more jobs — so Filipinos do not need to leave their families and the Motherland in search of better opportunities abroad.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
