My analysis on SONA

The following as gathered by IBON taken from the Department of

Budget and Management, Department of Agriculture and other
government agencies:
• The price of rice increased 68 percent between 2000, the year
Arroyo came into power, and 2008; regular milled rice to P29.38 a
kilo from P17.59, and well-milled rice from P19.45 to P32.71 a kilo.
•Rice imports increased 280 percent from 639,000 tons in 2001 to a
record of 2.4 million tons in 2008, making the Philippines the number
one importer of rice in the world.
•More Filipinos went abroad for jobs during the Arroyo
administration — an average of 990,000 annually – than during the
Estrada administration (839,334), Aquino (469, 709) and the Ramos
administration (713,505).
•A 621,000 increase in unemployment since 2001 (after Erap) to
2008, and 1.9 million increase in underemployment to 6.6 million
from 2001 to 2008.
•An increase of 2.1 million poor Filipinos to 27.6 million poor from
2000 to 2006
•The manufacturing sector, meanwhile, shrank to as small as that of
the 1950s. The sector lost 51,000 jobs between 2001 (when Erap was
illegally ousted from the presidency) and 2009.
•The Arroyo administration (2001-2009) allotted just 15.1 percent of
the national budget to education, which is lower than that of the
Estrada administration (18 percent) and that of the Ramos
administration (16.5 percent).
•To health, it allotted only 1.8 percent of the national budget, lower
than that of Estrada (2.4 percent), Ramos (2.5 percent) and Aquino
(3.1percent).
•To housing, Arroyo allotted only 0.4 percent of the national budget,
compared to 1.0 percent by Estrada, 0.7 percent by Ramos and 0.5
percent by Aquino.
•The Arroyo administration distributed an average of 119,301
hectares annually in 2001-2009, smaller than that of Estrada (121,274
ha.), Ramos (296,35 ha.) and Aquino (169,063 ha).
As per study by Ibon, the Arroyo administration is the most corrupt
Philippine administration in history, costing the country at least P7.3
billion in kickbacks and bribes.
In a fact-fiction statement, may i enumerate the "lie" or gross
mistakes in her Sona statistics.
•GMA Fiction: "The state of our economy is a strong economy."
Fact: The economy, after growing at its peak in 2007 declined to 3.8
percent in 2008 and may even hit 0 percent growth in 2009. This is
not an indicator of a good economy.
•GMA Fiction: "The average GDP growth from 2001 to the first
quarter of 2009 is the highest in 43 years."
Fact: The economy grew at an average of 4.09 percent during
Arroyo’s term. This is much less than Estrada’s performance of 4.7
percent although slightly better than Ramos’ average of 3.6 percent
and Aquino’s average of 3.34 percent. Secondly, the national income
accounts system was revised twice during Arroyo’s watch, which
means the GDP numbers in recent years may not be comparable with
those in earlier years.
•GMA Fiction: "Our average inflation is the lowest since 1966. Last
June, it dropped to 1.5 percent."
Fact: Inflation rate in June dropped because of base effect. World
interest rates were cut to near zero to restore growth. But it let it be
remembered also that in July of 2008, Filipinos experienced a 12.2
percent inflation rate, the highest in 17 years.
•GMA Fiction: "If there is an enemy we fought and won, it is the big
foreign debt.Those in the past administrations conjured the demon of
foreign debt. We exorcised it."
Fact: While the Arroyo administration lowered foreign debt, it
increased the national government public debt. This debt will more
than double by 2010 (from end of 2000). From P2.2 trillion, it will hit
a high of 4.5 trillion to 4.75 trillion by the end of June 2010. By
2010, the Arroyo administration’s debts will far exceed the combined
borrowings of its post-Edsa predecessors by over P2 trillion. Debt
under Aquino administration was P338 billion, under Ramos P401
billion, under Estrada 725 billion; a combined P1.46 trillion. That is
less than the debt of Arroyo from 2001 to 2005 alone which was
already at P2.44 trillion.
•GMA Fiction: "The country weathered a succession of global crises
in fuel, in food."
Fact: Hunger rates hit their highest during the Arroyo administration
at a record high of 23.7 percent of Filipino households (with 33.7
percent in Mindanao) in December of 2008. The latest 2009 hunger
figure is just 3 points lower than the record-high 23.7 percent (or
estimated 4.3 million families) in December 2008, and is 8 points
above the 10-year average of 12.8 percent. SWS said hunger has
consistently been in double-digits for five years, since June 2004.
•GMA Fiction: "What we invested in Agriculture will benefit our
framers..."
Fact: Instead of working toward food self sufficiency and promoting
agricultural production, under the Arroyo administration, the
Philippines has become the #1 importer of rice in the world. The farm
output target for 2009 has slipped to 2.5 percent (at the most 3.5
percent). Compare this to the 6 percent farm output level under
Estrada in 1999 in spite of the Asian Financial Crisis.
•GMA Fiction: "We are investing big in education."
Fact: Net enrollment ratio has worsened under the Arroyo
administration: from 96.8 percent in 2000 to 83.3 percent in 2006.
Seventeen out of 100 children of school age are out of school.
•GMA Fiction: "We built modern infrastructure and completed
unfinished ones. The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway is a prime
example of building better roads."
Facts: Note that this expressway was funded through the efforts of
Estrada under the Obuchi Fund. It was only implemented by Mrs.
Arroyo and even in mere implementation, the project was delayed
and financed at large cost overrun.
•GMA Fiction: "We have built airports of international standards."
Fact: We saw on national tv how the ceilings of the airport caved.
Also note that the government has underinvested in public
infrastructure. The promised additional light rail transit systems in
Metro Manila have yet to be started.
•GMA Fiction: "Our administration ... with the largest job creation in
history ..."
Fact: Based on a UP professor’s research, actual new jobs as of 2009
are not at 8 million but at less than 6 million, way below the 10
million target of this administration. Further, decent jobs in
manufacturing have continued to disappear while more part-time, less
secure jobs were created.
1. "In 2008 up to the first quarter of 2009, we stood among only a
few economies in Asia Pacific that did not shrink. Compare this to
2001, when some of my critics were driven out by people power. Asia
was surging but our country was on the brink of bankruptcy."
As per Liling Briones, former National Treasurer, the Estrada
administration left over P120 billion in cash and fixed deposits which
were turned over to the Arroyo administration. There was definitely
no bankruptcy.
2. "I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for
personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending
habits that make them walking proofs of that crime. We can read their
frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they
blew it by serving themselves. Those who live in glass houses should
cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it,
especially if they have been there."
Fact: There is no administration whose shortcomings can compare to
the sins of the Arroyo administration, with the many scandals
attached to it.
On Peace and Order
•GMA Fiction: "We inherited the longest communist rebellion in the
world. There is now a good prospect for peace talks."
Fact: After 8 years, still no peace.
Regarding Charter Change
•GMA: "The noisiest critics of constitutional reform tirelessly and
shamelessly attempted Cha-Cha when they thought they could take
advantage of a shift in the form of government.
Fact: The fear in Charter Change remains the same: the fear that
Arroyo will use it to perpetuate herself in power forever.
Other sweeping statements that are not true:
GMA: "I have never done any of the things that have scared my
worst critics so much. They are frightened by their own shadows. ... I
never declared martial law."
Fact: But she has stifled so many rights under the Constitution.
GMA: "And to the people of our good country, for allowing me to
serve as your President, maraming salamat."
Fact: Because she was never a duly elected president.