First Aquino SONA brings up litany of Arroyo 'excesses'

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III revealed that most of the nation's funds were depleted by the Arroyo administration while some government agencies received excessive benefits. With the budget deficit at a staggering P196.7 billion, Aquino said only 1 percent of the P1.54-trillion budget for 2010 can be spent every month for the rest of the year. While the nation is suffering from limited funds, some government agencies are swimming in it, Aquino said. Among them are the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), whose officials received P211.5 million in salaries and additional allowances and benefits alone. Aquino said the MWSS's Board of Trustees only receive P14,000 salary each but they get grocery incentives that amount to P80,000 a year; mid-year bonus; productivity bonus; anniversary bonus; year-end bonus; Christmas bonus; additional Christmas package; and financial assistance. Each MWSS Trustee receives P2.5 million a year, Aquino revealed. This does not include car benefits, technical assistance, and loans, he added. "Kamakailan lamang, pumipila ang mga tao para lang makakuha ng tubig. Sa kabila nito, minabuti pa ng liderato ng MWSS na magbigay ng gantimpala sa sarili kahit hindi pa nababayaran ang pensyon ng mga retiradong empleyado," said Aquino. "Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangang alagaan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay para sa matataas na opisyal ng MWSS," he added. Aquino said his government is investigating the MWSS officials involved, who cannot immediately be removed from their posts as they are among former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's "midnight appointees." "Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto," he said. This statement received the first round of applause in his 36-minute speech. Aquino also revealed that there was massive surplus in the rice imported by the National Food Authority. "Hindi po ba krimen ito, na hinahayaan nilang mabulok ang bigas, sa kabila ng apat na milyong Pilipinong hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw?" he said. Aquino also revealed that out of the P2 billion Calamity Fund this year, 70 per cent has been spent even though the typhoon season has just begun. He said P108 million went to Arroyo's home province of Pampanga, which did not suffer from any calamity this year, and compared this to the P5 million given to the province of Pangasinan that was ravaged by typhoon Pepeng last year. Arroyo is representing the second district of Pampanga in the House of Representatives. Aquino said the Arroyo administration also instructed the government-owned Landbank and Development Bank of the Philippines to buy out the MRT after forcing the train operator to keep fares low, thereby failing to fulfill a guarantee that the train operator could recoup its investment. "Ang pera ng taumbayan, ipinagpalit sa isang naluluging operasyon," he said. "Walang tongpats" Aquino said his government, only three weeks old so far, is hard at work at fixing the problems left behind by the Arroyo administration. "Sa administrasyon po natin, walang kota-kota, walang tongpats, ang pera ng taumbayan ay gagastusin para sa taumbayan lamang," (In this administration, there will be no quota, no bribes. The funds of the public will be used for the public only) he vowed. As an example of his administration's immediate actions, Aquino said Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson was able to stop the implementation of P3.5 billion worth of projects for last year's cyclone victims without public bidding. "Ngayon po ay dadaan na ang kabuuan ng 3.5 billion pesos sa tapat na bidding, at magagamit na ang pondo na ito sa pagbibigay ng lingap sa mga nawalan ng tahanan dahil kina Ondoy at Pepeng (Now these P3.5 billion worth of projects will go through proper bidding, and the funds will be used to give aid to those who lost their homes because of Ondoy and Pepeng)," he said. The president said Singson and other government officials also worked swiftly to address the recent water shortage in Metro Manila. Aquino reiterated that his government is serious in going against tax evaders, citing charges filed against pawnshop owner William Villarica. He also maintained that his administration will use a zero-based approach to budgeting, with government departments identifying what programs need to be continued or scrapped instead of merely providing a budget that is bigger than the previous year.

Listen to President Benigno S. Aquino III's first State of the Nation Address (SONA) here. Click here to download (10mb) What about agrarian reform? Militant lawmakers, however, were not impressed with Aquino's speech and pointed out that Aquino did not touch on issues like agrarian reform. Aquino's maternal side of the family, the Cojuangco clan, is caught up in the controversial Hacienda Luisita issue because the vast sugar estate has not been distributed to farmer beneficiaries despite the existence of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. “The Filipino peasantry is expecting a clear declaration on land distribution and the release of political prisoners on the President’s Sona. Unfortunately, there’s none," said Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, who chairs the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino said Aquino's presentation was "very weak" if his objective is to be the opposite of Mrs. Arroyo. "Bukod sa pangako na pananagutin ang mga corrupt at ipapatupad nang tama ang mga batas laban sa katiwalian, hindi ko nakikita ang makabuluhang pagbabago sa patakarang pang-ekonomiya, human rights, at usapang pangkapayapaan (Aside from the promise to make the corrupt accountable and to implement the laws against corruption, I do not see meaningful change in his policies on the economy, human rights, and peace talks)," said Casino. Applauded 32 times As promised, the SONA was no-frills and straightforward. Aquino delivered the speech smoothly and deliberately, without any awkward pauses to be filled in with applause, whether polite or genuine. Still, this did not stop the audience from clapping at certain points, which caused the President to pause for a while until the applause would die down. Aquino's speech did not only dwell on the inherited problems from the last administration, but also offered solutions. Most of the applause came at those points when solutions were offered, and at points when PNoy would promise a change. Such instances included Aquino's promise that the country's money will be spent for Filipinos, extravagant spending will be stopped, justice will be served for victims of extrajudicial killings, red tape will be eliminated, a whistle-blowers' bill will be enacted, and public consultation will be held. The audience also burst into applause when Aquino said investigation on the previous administration's midnight appointments is underway, and if those midnight appointees have an ounce of decency left, they should take it upon themselves to resign. Aquino's speech enjoyed a lot less applause than those of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose last SONA was applauded 126 times or almost three times more than Aquino's 32. However, Aquino's trust ratings are considerably higher -- Pulse Asia's survey placed it at 85 percent while the Social Weather Stations pegged it at 88 percent. Get involved, PNoy tells Pinoys Towards the end of his speech, President Aquino exhorted Filipinos to strive for fairness instead of selfishness, and to get involved in governance instead of complaining about the officials that they have elected. "Ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon," he said. "Napakatagal na pong namamayani ang pananaw na ang susi sa asenso ay ang intindihin ang sarili kaysa intindihin ang kapwa," he lamented. "Ngunit kung babaliktarin natin ang pananaw—kung iisipin nating 'Dadagdagan ko ang kakayahan ng aking kapwa'—magbubunga po ito, at ang lahat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon." Aquino concluded his speech by reiterating his campaign promise of bringing about change. "Ang mandato nating nakuha sa huling eleksyon ay patunay na umaasa pa rin ang Pilipino sa pagbabago. Iba na talaga ang situwasyon. Puwede na muling mangarap. Tayo nang tumungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pinangarap (The mandate that we received in the last election is proof that Filipinos hope for change. The situation is now different. We can dream again. Let us move in the direction of the fulfillment of our dreams)," said the president. - JAM SISANTE, with a report from Carmela G. Lapeña/YA, GMANews.TV