GMA meets Obama

Finally, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo met with US Pres. Barack Obama today at the White House. GMA flew to the US earlier this week upon Obama's invitation. GMA news this morning reported that the meeting, which took some 30 minutes, covered issues on global warming, global economy, and security relations, among others. Pres. Arroyo is the first Southeast Asian leader to meet with Pres. Obama.

The US President reportedly praised GMA for her economic and peace efforts in the country. Looks like the meeting reaffirmed the two nations' long-standing friendship and cooperation. Good news then.

What's more to the story? The Philippines reportedly went with some 20 delegates but most of them didn't even have a role in the meeting, in fact they weren't allowed to be in the meeting room. Only seven of them were invited in. The rest were practically persona non grata. The reason why they spent thousands of dollars for the trip? Senator Lito Lapid said he wanted to get a photo opportunity with Obama. How preposterous is that! I can't imagine how calloused some of our lawmakers are to splurge money for a trip that they have no business with, and even brought along their wives. How can we be sure they're not spending people's money?

GMA's SONA: fact or fiction?

I was one of the millions of Filipinos glued to their seats to watch President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo deliver her 9th and last SONA or State of the Nation Address over a local TV network. It was full of statistics to quantify the present administration's achievements under Pres. Arroyo's leadership. Figures that made me sigh in relief and silently applaud...for a while.

"The state of our nation is a good economy," the President said. "Good news for our people, bad news for our critics," she added. GMA took pride in enumerating her administration's economic reforms, infrastructures, public service law, and many others.

Here are few of the highlights mentioned by the President:

"Good economy"

• $6B revenues and 600,000 jobs created by the BPO industry
• Tourism almost doubled to a $5B industry
  
• $165B-Micro Finance Loans helped 7M entrepreneurs
• Banking system improved
• Foreign reserves have grown by $3B.
  
• GDP growth highest in 43 years
• Poverty reduced by almost half
• 1M jobs generated every year
• Economy posted uninterrupted growth for 33 quarters since 2001
• Our average inflation is lowest since 1966.
  

Infrastructures

• The government's housing programs benefited 1M families.
  
• 16 kms. of farm-to-market roads
• Construction of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway
• Built seaports and the RORO system
• Constructed international airports and upgraded domestic airports
  
• Automated elections (digital infrastructure)
  

Education and Health Care

• Recommends radical reforms in the country's education system
• Will allot P1.5B budget for teacher training
• Built 95,000 rooms
• Hired 60,000 teachers
  
• Approval of the Cheaper Medicines Law
• improving health care in the country that covers 86% of the population

She further stressed that foreign debts were tremendously slashed and debts of government corporations were reduced by almost half. She cited that the government will further improve collection on sin taxes. Also mentioned were the P1B budget for modern fish farming that benefits the indigenous people; the current ceasefire in war-torn areas in Mindanao, and Epira, the government's answer to lower power rates.

Apart from her administration's accomplishments, The President also chided her critics saying she did not become President to be popular. "Those who live in glass houses should not cast stones,those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there." she retorted.

Honestly, I was rather impressed with the President's SONA...because I was made to believe that the data given were all factual. A few hours later, news reports and editorials came out refuting The President's "facts and figures." Economists, people from the academe and the business sector were quick to challenge the veracity of the President's statistics. They cited the country's slow foreign trade, the low 0.4 growth of gross domestic product, among others.

One of those I watched on TV was Mareng Winnie Monsod, another woman I look up to for being so brainy, vocal, reputable, and vigilant. Monsod, a UP professor, is one of the country's respectable and credible economists.

Monsod argued that basing on actual figures from the National Statistics Office, only 2.8 M jobs were created from 2004-2008, a far cry from the promised 1M jobs per year. She added that poverty rose by almost 50%.

Monsod further enumerated the following that remains unanswered:

1. The increase in corruption
2. The increase in human rights violations
3. The increase in bureaucracy and overall demoralization of the civil service

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, meanwhile, said in an article on Business Mirror that "government statistics show that the number of poor Filipinos now total 27.6 million, or an increase of 2.7 million between 2000 and 2006. The number of poor families rose by 530,642 also during the same period, bringing the total to 4.7 million."

Is the economy really doing good as the President confidently stressed? Or is the country's economy just lucky to be sustained and fuelled by the OFW's billion dollar remittances? Who among them are giving the real statistics and the real state of the nation? Are the figures reported by the President factual or are they, like what her critics say, merely works of fiction?

Glenn Beck and the US healthcare

Okay, I'm not a US citizen and I'm not an expert on the talks (or debates?) about health care in America. But as I watch Fox News now as I write, I'm kind of disturbed by Fox anchor/radio commentator Glenn Beck's behavior. Glenn Beck is known for lambasting the Obama administration's health care directions. This morning, Glenn Beck's video which was recorded while he was having his radio show, is being shown over Fox News . He is shown profusely debating with a woman caller about health care. Beck was, as usual, deriding Obama's health care plans. The woman, who was defending the Obama administration's moves, asked Beck what he will do if he were in the position. And Beck, instead of answering the well-meaning question, screamed at the top of his voice, "Get off my phone!"

Whew! Couldn't he just answer it? What a way to end a losing debate.

Italian Red Cross worker finally freed by Abu

Free at last. After six grueling months of being held captive by the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf in Jolo Sulu, Italian Red Cross aid worker Eugenio Vagni was finally released last Sunday.

Vagni was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf militant group with fellow Red Cross workers Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba during a humanitarian mission on Jolo in Mindanao. Notter and Lacaba were released separately last April. Vagni dropped 40 lbs in six months, as evident in his two photos. He was reported to be suffering from hernia and even cholera during his captivity.

The spate of kidnappings and terrorism in some parts of Mindanao severely affects the hapless civilians whose lives are put in danger during clashes between the military and the militants group. Recent bombings in Datu Piang, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, Iligan City, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte; and Jolo, Sulu have also caused the UN to temporarily stop sending aids to Mindanao, affecting thousands of families.

I don't understand why these militants keep picking on civilians to air out their demands. Would killing innocents give them the answers to their quest whatever it is? Why not give peace talks a chance?

COMELEC sets up satellite registrations over NCR

I was having breakfast this morning when I heard this loud megaphone noise going around the neighborhood. It sounded like an important announcement so I looked out the street and listened closely. It was indeed important and just the kind of news I've been wanting to hear - The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has set up a satellite voters registration at our Barangay Hall that's open today and tomorrow, 8 am-4 pm.

A few hours later, I was at the Barangay Hall bringing my company ID, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and NBI clearance. I didn't want to have problems with my identification and be asked to come back with some more documents so I brought them all. I was anticipating such concerns because I'm originally registered in my province, Davao City, and I've only lived here in Manila for a year or so.

But when I got to the Barangay Hall, only one valid ID was asked from me plus my NBI clearance indicating my current address here in the Metro. I was ushered into a room where they took a picture of me and got my fingerprints (and signature) for the Biometrics. In just a few minutes, I was done.

Ask your barangay officials about the schedules for voters registration in your area. Registration satellites have been set up around NCR since April. It's far more convenient than having to go to the COMELEC office and queue up for long hours.

Let us exercise our right to suffrage come May 2010 elections. This is the first step. Go out and register.

PTA forum on AH1N1

The scare has somewhat died down due to the mild cases affecting the local victims here but it's still around. About 95% of those affected by the virus has reportedly gotten well, according to the Department of Health. It's a good sign that the AH1N1 virus is but a mild version of influenza.

But as the global pandemic continue to spread around Metro Manila, the local government and school officials together called for a forum with the parents in my daughter's school. Better be informed than sorry.

Stop worrying about it. But continue to wash hands regularly, take Vitamin C to boost immune system, cover mouth when sneezing, temporarily avoid physical contact with persons having flu-like symptoms (but please don't be scared of them and don't discriminate them!), go on a self-quarantine when ill, have a hand sanitizer/alcohol handy wherever you go so you can clean yourself anytime.