Divided opinion

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III delivered his 6th State of the Nation State Address (SONA) and his last reports on the state of the country yesterday before a jam-packed Batasan Pambansa of 2,700 people.

As expected, President Aquino dwelt on the so-called accomplishments of his administration, not only in 2015 but from 2010 to 2015, under his “Daang Matuwid,” or righteous path campaign.

Reviewing the opinions by political analysts expressed the last few days, it was a divided opinion on whether the President has succeeded or not.

Fifty percent gave him a passing mark while 50 percent gave him a failing mark, clearly no passing mark of 75 percent.

Prof. Edmund Tayao of University of Santo Tomas gave Aquino a failing mark. Prof. Prospero de Vera of University of the Philippines gave Aquino a passing grade in some programs and a failing mark in other programs. This is also indicated by the Philippines failing to achieve its millennium development goals set by the United Nations.

Executive Director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform Ramon Casiple said the President is entering his lameduck phase and losing his influence by the day. He advised the President to use his remaining political capital and tell Congress to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

There is no division of opinion on the issue of poverty which Aquino promised to reduce by one half but remains at 27 percent. Many agree that the country’s economic gains have not trickled down to the poor, where they are needed the most. Only big business appeared to have benefited from the growth in business process outsourcing and manufacturing for exports.

A week prior to yesterday’s report of the state of the country, more than half of residents in the Greater Metro Manila Area rated Aquino’s administration in the last five years as a failure as revealed in a survey conducted by United Filipino Consumers and Commuters wherein 71 percent of 571 respondents (ordinary taxpaying citizens) graded Aquino’s performance in terms of livelihood and basic services as failure while 74 percent says that there is nothing more to expect in his SONA.

The scorecard of the multisectoral Movement for Good Governance (MGG), a data-based assessment that tracks program implementation, showed a lackluster grade of 5.9 percent on development goals of the Aquino administration. This is a benchmark system meant for identifying successes and alerting the government on areas that need strengthening and improvement.

The budget watchdog group, Social Watch Philippines (SWP), headed by former National Treasurer Leonor Briones criticized the Aquino administration for its failure to deliver its commitments to victims of Typhoon Yolanda. The group reported that Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only released P84 billion or only 49 percent of the P170.9 billion commitment for the Comprehensive Recovery and Rehabilitation Program (CRRP). Only 21 percent billion has been released for the CRRP funding for resettlement of P75.5 billion.

Not much has changed since he took over from the previous government. There are still squandering of public funds through scams like the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).

LP convention

A meeting of Liberal Party (LP) leaders has been scheduled today at Club Filipino.

Everybody is expecting President Aquino to announce his anointed successor for president. Expected to be formally announced is Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

There is no vice presidential candidate of the LP being mentioned. NP Senator Alan Peter Cayetano says he is available. No LP leader has indicated interest in running for vice president.

Liberal party leaders Senate President Frank Drilon, Congressmen Edgar Erice, Mel Sarmiento, Miro Quimbo, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte said Secretary Roxas is the most qualified to be president.

Tidbits

Donald Trump leads the latest poll of Republican presidential aspirants.

Three hundred students in Calamba, Laguna were hospitalized for food poisoning after eating cupcake and ice candy donated by AMS and two staff members of Haribon Foundation.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago announced she is well enough to run for president in 2016.

Only 1,000 kilometer of farm-to-market roads, out of the backlog of 15,000 kilometers, have been constructed.

Peter Wallace said the growth rate has not been inclusive. The number of the poor is the same as five years ago.

Senator Grace Poe is pushing for the approval of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill. Poe’s terno was decorated with palay. Congresswoman Lani Mercado-Revilla wore a lavender terno. Kris Aquino wore a light gray terno. Congresswoman Lucy Torres wore a white terno. Mayor Lani Cayetano wore a light green terno.

Congresswoman Lenie Robredo chose a light pink terno. Gina de Venecia wore a yellow terno while Baby Arenas wore white. Vice President Jojo Binay and Mrs. Elenita Binay were accompanied by Senator Nancy Binay and Congressman Toby Tiangco.