Opposition twits JDV on fund drive

BEIJING (via PLDT) – Philippine opposition lawmakers twitted here yesterday Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. for his initiative in launching the "Pera para sa Pilipinas," saying the fund drive which will supposedly help President Arroyo tide over the government’s financial problems will only "give wrong signals to the international community." "While the motives may be good, it is, however, doing more damage than good for the country," said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Another opposition lawmaker, Sen. Edgardo Angara, said the national fund drive initiated by De Venecia should not be directed to solving the country’s fiscal problem. "Our crisis is not national. Our crisis is governmental. It’s the government that is in crisis," he said.

Angara pointed out the signs of financial crisis are not present since there are no bank runs, no bank defaults, no corporate bankruptcies and no panic in the private sector.

"The panic is in the government sector and that indicates the government sector is mismanaged," he said.

Both Angara and Pimentel were part of the official delegation of President Arroyo in her three-day state visit to China.

Both lawmakers represented the opposition as their counterparts in the administration were represented by Senators Manuel Villar Jr., Ralph Recto and Joker Arroyo.

Angara suggested that Mrs. Arroyo do her "homework," but did not take her decision to proceed with her state visit here in China against her.