Arroyo vs.

Aquino
One thing former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and President Benigno Noy-noy
Aquino III is that they inherit a controversial administrations. Arroyo replaced the former
President Estradas administration that was impeached because of his alleged involvement in
illegal gambling (Jueteng). On the other hand, President Aquino inherited the tracks of former
President Arroyos very controversial administration. Running a whole country is hard especially
when youve become the successor of a controversial/alleged corrupt administration.
Let us compare and contrast the 1st 100 days of former President Arroyo and President Aquino.
Former President Arroyo had a good start because like the late former President Cory Aquino she
was a product of EDSA revolution. People expected so much on her. On her 1 st 100 days as a
President, as the former secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
her first projects focused on the improvement of the lives of the poor and disadvantaged. AHON
programs were one of her projects which consist of Ahon Bayan, Ahon Bata and the Ahon
Pamilya. Clearly Arroyos focus back then is to improve the lives of the poor and the socially
disadvantaged. On the long run, PGMAs administration was stained with all the controversies
like the Hello Garci scandal, the alleged corruption and many more. President Aquino on the
other hand had all eyes on him after being the successor of the corrupt government of PGMAs
administration; they are thinking what President Noy will do to improve the countries situation
after an administration that was full of corruption. During the campaign election period Pnoys
slogan was pag walang corrupt walang mahirap, people expected much on that slogan with the
expectation that Pnoy will make a difference. President Noys 1 st 100 days were bombarded with
different controversies like the august 23 hostage crisis, fare increase on MRT and LRT, and the
alleged involvement of one of his relative in the illegal numbers game (jueteng) and the
reproductive health bill. Though full of controversies, there are things that Pnoy boasted on his
1st 100 days as the President of the Philippines. Like the fight against corruption that the former
administration left like the stopping of the questionable contracts on the Department of Public
Works and Highway, DOTC and on the Department of Agriculture etc. He also boasted about the
improved service of PAGASA. The focus of Pnoys 1 st 100 days was the fight against corruption
and rebuilding the country after a corrupt administration.
True that President Aquino and former President Arroyo had different approach on their 1 st 100
days. They just did what they think back then was the most important things that this country
needs after inheriting the controversial administrations. It is too early to judge who is better, let
us just support whoever administration we have and do our part as a Filipino.

SCANDALS OF GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO AND PNOY

PCSO
funds
for
admin
candidates
campaign
In October 2001, Roberto Rivero, former consultant of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes
(PCSO), claimed that the first gentleman used almost $5 million of PCSO funds to finance the
campaign of some senatorial candidates and to bribe radio commentators. President Arroyo
asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate her husband. The PCSO denied Riveros
accusations. When asked by the Ombudsman for evidence, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who exposed
this, was unable to present any.Years later, in May 2007, another former PCSO senior executive,
Cirilo Avila, said the funds were made to appear as payment for ad placements but were really
used as People Power Coalition (PPC) campaign funds. Avila narrated that the PPC requested the
funds and manager Ver Angelo took it up with the board. The request was approved.
Nani Perezs extortion
Four days after assuming office, Arroyo awarded a $470-million contract to Argentine firm
Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anonima (IMPSA) to rehabilitate a power plant in
Laguna. A few months later, former Manila Representative Mark Jimenez, the man who brokered
the deal, accused Justice Secretary Hernando Perez of extorting $2 million in exchange for a
justice department opinion that favors the deal.
Jimenez told Senator Lacson that the entire amount was actually $14 million: Perez received $2
million, the National Power Corporation boys got $1 million, Malacaang was given $4, and
$7 million went to Jimenez.
In April 2008, the office of the Ombudsman, headed by Merceditas Gutierrez, filed graft charges
against Perez, his wife Rosario, Ernest Escaler, and Ramon Antonio Arceo Jr.
But the graft and robbery charges were junked by the Sandiganbayan in November 2008 as the
Ombudsman failed to expedite the complaints, making Perez immune from the charges,
indirectly acquitting Perez.
Perezs pending case with the Sandiganbayan is on his falsification of public documents.
In May 2009, Perez filed his third petition asking the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the charges of
unethical practices filed against him for allegedly not declaring $1.7 million in his 2001
Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) saying that Arroyo herself approved
his SALN when she assumed office. Perez was then a member of her cabinet.
Profit from anti-poverty bonds?

Conceptualized by the Caucus of Development (Code-NGO), the PEACe bonds (Poverty

Eradication and Alleviation Certificates) were issued by the government supposedly to help raise
funds for the anti-poverty activities of its member organizations. But there were allegations that
Code-NGO used its political connections to profit P1.4 billion in a series of transactions from the
PEACe bonds worth P35 billion pesos.
Code-NGO was chaired by Socorro Camacho-Reyes, sister of then Finance Secretary Jose Isidro
Camacho. Camacho-Reyes denied, in a Senate hearing, that her brother helped him.
The garbage contract
The Jancom controversy involved a $360-million (P18 billion) incineration project in which the
Jancom Environment Corp. (JEC) would burn 3,000 tons of Metro Manila garbage a day for a
tipping fee of $10 per ton. During his term, President Ramos did not approve the contract and
President Estrada likewise debunked it because JEC raised the tipping fee from $10 to $59 per
ton.
Despite the passage of the Clean Air Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (both
banned the use of incarcerators) , the Supreme Court declared the contract valid in April 2002 in
a decision penned by Justice Jose Melo.
Still, Arroyo said the deal had many flaws. Arroyo passed the decision to the Manila
Metropolitan and Development Authority (MMDA) to decide whether the deal is
disadvantageous to the government or not. Although negotiations had started between the
MMDA and Jancom, Arroyo called off the deal in April 2002.
Mismanaged funds
Issues on mismanaged funds by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
and the GSIS caught the public eye in 2002. PAGCOR had been experiencing negative cash
flows that bloated to P850 million in 2003. A Pagcor manager gave three reasons behind the
financial difficulties: onerous contracts, profligate spending, and massive, mindless donations.
GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia ordered its units to stop the processing of
claims and loan applications because of financial difficulty. The Kapisanan ng Manggagawa
attributed the financial problems to the following: Garcias cash advances amounting to P3.4
million, the establishment of district offices worth P4 million each, and the appointment of
outside legal counsel for P200,000 a month.
Garcia allegedly used GSIS money to purchase Juan Lunas Parisian Life painting. Likewise,
Garcia was said to earn P540,000 a month and appointed some 130 vice-presidents who earn
P70,000 a month. There were allegations that GSIS contributed at least P100 million to the

campaign funds of Pres. Arroyo. Garcia was retained in his post despite appeals from GSIS
employees.
In 2004, before the Senate committee on government corporations and public enterprises, Garcia
dismissed the charges and said GSIS is the countrys top performing government-owned and
controlled corporation. He did not comment on the Juan Luna paintings.
FG as OFW envoy
In December, President Arroyo designated Mike Arroyo as an OFW envoy so he could represent
her in the countries she could not visit. However, critics assailed Arroyos announcement when
they learned that his activities as OFW envoy would be funded by a proposed overseas workers
legal assistance fund. They feared that the Arroyo couple would use the funds for her 2004
campaign. While the President did not recall her husbands designation, the First Gentleman
voluntarily resigned.
Naias Terminal 3
In 2002, Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez obtained overpriced subcontracts for public
works projects related to the terminal. Among these is Wintrack Builders Inc., owned by Alvarez,
which bagged a site-development project.
Piatco was also accused of paying huge sums of money to Alfonso S. Liongson, PR consultant
and said to be an associate of the First Gentleman, for permits or supplementary agreements to
the contract. In 2003, Arroyo revoked Piatcos build-operate- transfer contract and the
government took over the airport in 2004. After almost a decade, the airport was partially opened
in 2008.
2003
Rotten rice!
In February 2003, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla revealed that 600,000 metric tons of rice
imported from India were found to be rotten and moldy. Kishore Hemlani, an Indian trader
allegedly close to Arroyo, reportedly bagged the P9.5 billion contract for the rice importation.
Anthony Abad, head of the National Food Authority, had to dispose of some P2.2-million worth
of moldy rice stocks and tried to dispose of the remaining sacks in order to recover at least P2.5
billion.
Undeclared wealth in San Francisco

Since she got elected in 1992 as senator, Arroyo had failed to declare in her Statements of Assets,
Liabilities and Net Worth the properties her husband Mike Arroyo bought in San Francisco
through his California-based LTA Realty Corporation. According to Newsbreak, Mike acquired,
resold, and managed at least five properties with a total value of at least $7.1 million in the Bay
City from 1992 to 2000. The First Couple said the properties were bought in trust for Ignacio or
Iggy Arroyo, Mikes younger brother.

Oakwood mutiny
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes alleged involvement in selling arms and ammunitions to
guerilla and bandit groups moved 300 young officers and enlisted men of the AFP to rebel
against the government in July. Reyes was forced to resign a few weeks later. The rebel soldiers
were detained.
The 321 armed soldiers apologized for the failed rebellion. In 2004, 133 of the soldiers were
freed. Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, one of the alleged leaders, escaped in December 2005. Four other
leaders escaped after Faeldon did. Faeldon was captured in 2007 but escaped again a few months
after.
Reyes, since then, has held other Cabinet posts: environment secretary and energy secretary.
The super-rich general
In December, Maj. Gen. Carlos F. Garcias son was apprehended by US Customs officials at the
San Francisco airport for carrying $100,000 in undeclared cash. AFP Chief of Staff Narciso
Abaya asked Garcia to explain and transferred him to another position.
Later in the year, US Customs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation transmitted to the office
of Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo a list of the amounts that General Garcia had brought into the
US from 1993 to 2003, which was estimated at P71 million.
In October 2004, Garcia was charged with violating Articles of War 95 (conduct unbecoming of
an officer and gentleman) and 96 (acts prejudicial to good order and military discipline) for
failing to declare all his assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and for
possessing a US green card. In April 2006, the military court sentenced Garcia to a two-year
confinement without pay and allowance and dishonorable discharge. Garcia also faced graft
charges in the same court.
In February 2009, Garcias sons, Juan Pablo and Ian Carl were indicted in the US with one count
of conspiracy to commit bulk cash smuggling, failing to file a report of monetary instruments,
and making false statements to a US government agency. The sons were placed in US custody

until proven innocent. On the same month, Garcia was found guilty of misdeclaring his assets
and liabilities in 2000. He was acquitted from two other perjury cases.
On June 2009, the Sandiganbayan acquitted Garcia of the last perjury case, saying there was no
proof that the retired general lied in his 1997 SALN. However, the retired general is still facing
plunder and forfeiture cases in the Sandiganbayan and is still being detained in Camp Crame.

Hello, Garci
More than a year after the election, a recording of a telephone conversation between President
Arroyo and election commissioner Virgilio Garci Garcillano was released to the public. In this
conversation, Arroyo directed him to make sure she wins by one million votes. After weeks of
ducking the issue, Arroyo apologized for a lapse in judgment in talking with an election
commissioner but explained that she merely wanted to protect her votes.
Juetengate
In Senate hearings on jueteng that began in May 2005, jueteng operators and bagmen said the
Presidents husband, Mike, her son Mikey, and her brother-in-law Ignacio or Iggy were among
those who received monthly payoffs from gambling lords. The payoffs ranged from P500,000 to
P1 million.
One of the key witnesses, businesswoman Sandra Cam, testified that in December 2004, she
personally delivered the cash to Mikey and Iggy at the House of Representatives; the money
came from retired Chief Supt. Restituto Mosqueda, former police director for Bicol and alleged
protector of jueteng operations in Luzon.
Richard Garcia and Demosthenes Abraham Riva also told a Senate hearing that the three Arroyos
had been receiving payola from jueteng operations in Bicol. Michaelangelo Zuce, an aide of
former commissioner Virgilio Garcillano and a former staff member of presidential adviser on
political affairs Joey Rufino, directly linked the President to jueteng by saying that before the
2004 elections, the President distributed money to several election officials in her house in La
Vista, Quezon City, in the presence of Bong Pinedas wife, Lilia Pineda.
Garcia and Riva retracted their statements a few months later and said they were merely
coached by Sen. Panfilo Lacson. Zuces testimony failed to take off after one witness did not
corroborate Zuces claim. Former Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. who was also said to have been
present at the La Vista meeting, flew to the US and refused to come to Manila to testify.
Mega-anomaly

in

Comelec

According to Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo, the botched P1.3 billion poll modernization
project of Comelec was overpriced by P500 million. Comelec ignored its own bidding rules and
changed these to suit one favored bidder: MegaPacific Corp.
The SC deemed the process flawed and declared the contract null and void. The Office of the
Ombudsman committee created by Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez initially indicted
Commissioner Resurreccion Borra but cleared him a few months later. Abalos and company
were ruled to be not liable for the voided contract.
Lozanos complaints
Oliver Lozano filled an impeachment complaint against President Arroyo during the height of
the Hello, Garci scandal. Congress declared the complaint to be technically deficient. Oliver
Lozano filed another impeachment complaint against President Arroyo on 2006. Like the first
one, his second complaint was defeated due to insufficiency in substance.
For the third time, Lozano filed his impeachment complaint against the President on 2007. Like
the second version, this impeachment rap was dismissed for insufficiency in substance. Critics
say Lozanos impeachment complaints were moves to hinder the submission of a solid complaint
against the President.
Weeks after former Arroyo ally Jose De Venecia filed his impeachment complaint in 2008,
Lozano took his fourth try with a four-page impeachment complaint penned with his daughter,
Atty Evangeline Lozano, and another lawyer, Elly Pamatong.
Toxic JPEPA?
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) was signed between Arroyo
and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The treaty aimed to promote
investments and trade between the two countries. Various civil society groups contested the
agreement because the government did not consult them. According to these groups, although the
agreement secures employment in Japan, the treaty includes an environmentally unjust bilateral
trade.
In 2008, the Senate finally ratified the agreement by a vote of 16-4 as the agreement was
favorable since 95% of exports from the Philippines to Japan will have zero duties.
Meanwhile, numerous representatives from the House questioned the Senate decision as the
agreement will bring a tsunami of unfair trade and toxic wastes.
Fallout from ZTE

The scandal was exposed in August 2007, a few months after Transport Secretary Leandro
Mendoza and ZTE Corp Vice President Yu Yong signed a $329.5 million contact for a national
broadband network deal in April. President Arroyo and the First Gentlemen were said to have
visited China for the contract-signing.
Rep. Carlos Padilla (Nueva Vizcaya) said that Comelec chairperson Benjamin Abalos also joined
the President in China to broker the deal. Abalos denied brokering the deal but admitted going to
China four times. In September 2007, the son of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr testified that he was
with Abalos in China and that Abalos demanded money from ZTE officials.
The following day, the Supreme Court promulgated a TRO stopping the deal between the
Philippines and China and gave ZTE 15 days to comment.
NEDA chair Romulo Neri testified in the Senate hearings and said Abalos tried to bribe him with
P200 million but he refused to answer some senators questions, citing executive privilege.
Abalos resigned as Comelec chair in October 2007 as President Arroyo cancelled the deal in a
trip to China.
Jun Lozada, former chief executive officer of Philippine Forest Corporation and NEDA
consultant, testified in February 2008 that Abalos and the First Gentlemen were to receive
kickbacks once the deal was signed. Speaker Jose de Venecia was unseated and got dragged into
the deal when his son said he was also in China.
On July 2008, the SC dismissed three petitions that question the constitutionality of the deal and
declared it moot and academic.
Money from Malacaang
Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio revealed that he was given a paper bag containing P500,000 in a
Malacaang meeting in October 2007. The money was allegedly for community projects. The
bags were handed out by a female Malacaang staff. Panlilio said he accepted the money
because because no conditions were attached; he did not consider it a bribe. Various versions of
the source of the money came out as other local officials present in the meeting admitted
receiving either P500,000 or P200,000.
Other officials who confirmed receiving money were Governors Joselito Mendoza, Leo Campos,
and Representatives Rachel Arenas, Antonio Cuenco, Bienvenido Abante, Mauricio Domogan,
Tomas Dumpit Jr, and some others who refused to be named. The named 9 officials were charged
by the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly receiving bribes. Due to numerous versions on the
source of the money, Sen. Miguel Zubiri said during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing
that the money has no direct link to the Palace.

Glorietta 2 and Batasan bombings

After the string of controversies hounding the Arroyo administration, bombing incidents
happened in Glorietta 2 and the House of Representatives. The police, in a speedy investigation,
found that the bombing of Batasan was initially intended for Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar.
The Glorietta 2 bombing, on the other hand, resulted from gas leakage. Rumors spread that the
bombings were perpetrated by the government to divert the publics attention away from the
Arroyo scandals.
The Batasan bombing happened the day before Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio was set to testify on
the bribery of local officials in the Senate and a day before the House justice committee was to
hear the impeachment case.
The Glorietta 2 bombing happened during the height of the bribery case which took place in
Malacaang.
Manila Pen siege
Antonio Trillanes IV, together with Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and 25 other Magdalo officers walked
out of their trial and marched on the streets of Makati City. Former Vice-President Teofisto
Guingona and some soldiers from the AFP joined the march that ended in Peninsula Manila
Hotel. After several hours, the group surrendered to the government forces after a military
assault. They were arrested and several journalists were detained.
C-5 insertion
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jamby Madrigal spilled the beans on Senate president Manny Villar
when they exposed his double insertion of a P200 million C-5 project in the 2008 budget. After a
few months, Villar resigned as Senate president when he learned about the planned ouster led
by Lacson. Enrile became Senate president.
In May 2009, although Villar was out of the country, the Senate ethics committee deliberated on
the alleged C-5 insertion and declared the ethics complaint filed by Madrigal as sufficient in
substance.
Meralco and the tainted court
What started out as a tug-of-war between the Lopezes and GSIS over control of Meralco ended
up tainting the reputation of the Court of Appeals. The scandal started when Justice Jose Sabio Jr
told the media that he was offered a P10 million bribe by an alleged Meralco emissary,
businessman Francis Borja.

The Supreme Court conducted a public investigation on the CA justices. Lapses in the justices
decisions and CA procedures were unearthed. The verdict: Justice Vicente Roxas was dismissed,
Sabio and Justice Bienvenido Reyes were suspended, and Justice Myrna Vidal was reprimanded.
Impeachment: Joeys complaint
Joey de Venecia, son of former House Speaker Jose De Venecia, filed an impeachment complaint
against President Arroyo, particularly because of the overpriced NBN-ZTE broadband deal. The
complaint was found sufficient in form but was dismissed after House representatives voted 428,
ruling
the
complaint
as
insufficient
in
substance.

As it turned out, the song choice was inspired. Throughout Aquinos almost five-year-old
presidency, the lyrics rang true. The presidents satisfaction and approval ratings always took a
hit every time his administration was embroiled in a controversy, usually involving the misuse of
public funds or the loss of lives.
The biggest controversies during the Aquino administration which adversely affected the
Presidents popularity were:

1. Manila hostage crisis

The administrations first major debacle came just two months into Aquino's presidency. In
August 2010, eight Hong Kong tourists were killed by a disgruntled former police officer
Rolando Mendoza, after a bungled rescue attempt supervised by Aquino himself. The incident
also strained ties between the Philippines and Hong Kong.
2. PNoys Porsche
Aquinos popularity ratings continued to slide in the following months, after reports came out
that he had bought himself a third-hand Porsche. After drawing flak for supposedly violating his
governments austerity policy, the President eventually sold the German high-performance car.
3. Corona impeachment
Although his ratings gradually recovered in 2011, Aquino once again saw his ratings slowly
decline during the first months of 2012, during then Chief Justice Renato Coronas impeachment
trial. A complaint, backed by the presidents allies in the House of Representative, triggered the
impeachment. After Corona was convicted, Aquinos ratings once again recovered dramatically.
4. Yolanda aftermath

In November 2013, Typhoon Yolandathe strongest cyclone to ever hit landcut a swath of
devastation across the central Philippines and left 6,300 people dead. The disaster also wreaked
havoc on Aquinos ratings, after his government was heavily criticized, even by international
news organizations, for its slow response to the calamity.
5. Pork Barrel Scam
The Aquino government also had to weather major political storms. In July 2013, the pork barrel
scamperhaps the biggest scandal involving public funds in recent yearswas exposed, leading
to the detention of three senators and several other lawmakers on plunder and graft cases. Aquino
was initially reluctant to abolish the graft-ridden priority development assistance fund, but
eventually ended up doing so. Still, his ratings took a hit due to this scandal.
5. DAP controversy
A year later, another controversy involving government funds further diminished Aquinos
popularity: the disbursement acceleration program (DAP). The administration was accused of
ilegally tapping government savings to fund senators' pet projects, allegedly in exchange for a
Corona conviction. The president actively defended the DAP, which he characterized as an
economic stimulus program. In the end, certain aspects of the DAP were declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
6. Mamasapano encounter
With just over a year to go before he relinquishes the presidency, President Aquino faced his
biggest controversy: the botched January 25 Mamasapano operation. Forty-four police
commandos, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, and at least five civilians died
during an anti-terror mission in Maguindanao. Aquino was primarily blamed for letting his close
pal, resigned police chief Alan Purisima, play an active role in the bungled mission despite his
suspension over graft charges.

LISTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ARROYO AND PNOY

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo served as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development from July 1998 to October 2000, or a total of 27 months.
In her more than two years at the Department, she established the AHON Programs - Ahon
Bayan, Ahon Bata and the Ahon Pamilya - which are all aimed at improving the lives of the poor
and the disadvantaged through strengthening linkages with various stakeholders. The Quick
Reaction Team was also started during her term.

Self- Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K)

The SEA-K project is a community-based micro-financing project which builds abilities of
people's organizations to self-administer a socialized credit system. Project components are
social preparation, capital assistance, savings mobilization and access to other social services.
For this project, 2,184 SEA-K Associations were extended capital support benefiting 61,879
families. Each family-beneficiary was given P5,000.00 capital assistance for its chosen
livelihood project.
Ginintuang Masaganang Ani
Fighting poverty by building prosperity for the most number of the Filipino people has been the
major concern of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo since the start of her term in office.
Through Republic Act 8435, otherwise known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization
Act (AFMA), the strengthening of the agriculture and fishery sectors by modernization and
greater participation of small farm holders was implemented which in turn had resulted to
revived food security and food self-sufficiency programs of the government. Effective program
implementation and policy execution in 2005 increased the agricultural sector's production
during the first three quarters by 1.7%. The government continues to formulate programs which
would eventually increase production of agricultural supplies to ensure availability of supply.
Creation of Jobs
Included in the 10-Point Reform Agenda of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the government
is putting its best efforts to give the people with jobs and open up employment to strengthen the
economy. Alongside with the government's Medium Term Development Plan for 2004- 2010,
employment and generation of jobs are one of the government's top priority.
Education Reform
In line with her obligation to significantly decrease poverty nationwide, President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo has stressed the need for an active partnership between the government and
various sectors to sustain efforts concerning various aspects of the schooling system. These are
lessening the textbook backlog; constructing more school buildings; restoring English as medium
of instruction; implementing the Basic Education Curriculum or BEC ; improving teacher
welfare; sparing public school teachers from the vagaries of politics; mainstreaming distance
learning; and launching the internet-based education program.

Housing
Housing efforts under the Macapagal Arroyo administration plan to provide the bottom 40
percent of households with affordable socialized housing. The private sector shall be organized

to innovate and produce decent housing at lower costs, while the government shall be tasked to
improve the efficiency of the housing market. The President has enjoined the support of
Congress to enact bills addressing the high price of urban lands for housing. By putting into
place a sustainable housing financing, the private sector, especially the banks, is called to
participate in the housing market. The housing program shall also provide security of tenure for
the informal sector, consisting of poor and low salaried workers from government and the private
sector. Assistance will be extended in the form of consultations for resettlement, housing and
livelihood training to affected poor families who are in danger areas.
Land Distribution
In recognition and support of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as a
strategic program to fight poverty and push rural development, the Macapagal Arroyo
administration has speed up land distribution and delivery of support services to the farmerbeneficiaries. The same shall apply to the distribution of public lands. The Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the
lead agencies for land distribution, agricultural lands to be distributed by DAR, while public
lands to be distributed by DENR.
Strong Republic Nautical Highway
The Strong Republic Nautical Highway is one of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's major
legacies to the nation. Covering 17 cities, towns and islands that will reduce by 17 hours the
travel time using the common land and sea routes, the "highways of the sea" or the "moving
bridges concept" is something that could transform not just business and agriculture in our island
provinces, but also domestic tourism. The nautical highway will provide the backbone for the
development of tourism and agricultural industries, by enhancing the accessibility of unique
tourist destinations west of the Philippines. It would minimize the handling expenses and time
travel for goods, resulting in reduced prices for consumers. There will be less need for loading
the goods on and off barges, as cargo trucks themselves can get on the ro-ro. The leading
beneficiaries would be our island provinces.
Presyong Tama, Gamot Pampamilya Gamot na Mura at Abot Kaya
The Presyong Tama, Gamot Pampamilya is the government's actual response to address the
heavy burden of high medicine prices on the Filipino consumers. President Gloria MacapagalArroyo has directed the instant accomplishment of this program that will improve public access
to quality healthcare. The program involves the importation of widely recognized, off-patent
branded medicines which are usually prescribed for the most common ailments and diseases.
These medicines shall be made available to Filipino consumers at very affordable prices.
KALAHI

The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) program is an anti- poverty plan of the
administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The project will help the government in
strengthening the capability of local government units (LGUs) to design, implement, and manage
development activities. Such activities may include basic infrastructure like new or rehabilitated
roads and bridges, barangay schools and clinics, and water supply and sanitation facilities.
Communities will prioritize their development needs, design activities, seek technical expertise
and make informed choices on how resources are used for sustainable poverty reduction. More
than 5,300 poor barangays in 193 municipalities in 40 of the poorest provinces in the Philippines
are probable to benefit from this project. These will be mostly in rural areas, where most poor
Filipinos live.
E-Procurement
The Electronic Procurement System or EPS is one initiative of government to improve and
modernize government's procurement services. It involves the creation and operation of a central
portal for government procurement, bidding and supplier information requirements, and the
increasing use of the portal among government agencies. The EPS is expected to attain
transparency in public procurement activities. The resulting improved competition will
encourage the attainment of the best quality products at the lowest possible prices and
consequently generate substantial savings in public spending. Some P80 million in newspaper
advertisements and P600 million out of the P17 billion government procurement budget are
expected to be saved. Acquisition time by government agencies shall also be shortened by two
(2) weeks, and eventually, deliveries can be done "just in time".

PNOYS LISTS OF ACCOMPLISHMNETS

Aquino boasts the Expanded Conditional Cash Transfer program which has started this June with
a budget of 12.3 billion. According to him, the poverty incidence went down to 24.9% in the first
quarter of 2013. Last year, the Philippines received high investment grade status from Moody's,
Fitch, at SandP. Aquino takes pride in the holding of the World Economic Forum in Manila
recently. PNoy said that the budget for infrastructure has more than double. A total of 12,184 km
national roads were done. He cites DPWH Sec. Singson for cutting corruption in infrastructure
projects. "Bawal ang tongpats, bawal ang bukol."
Major infrastructures such as Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, Ternate-Nasugbu Road, Basilan
Circumferential Road and Aluling Bridge are some of the ongoing and newly-built infrastructure
projects of DPWH.
When he talked about the Bohol and Cebu calamity, he said that P3.583 billion were released for
the rehabilitation efforts. After the super-typhoon Yolanda, efforts of the government include
power restoration, road and airport repairs that were done immediately according to him. He

thanked the Task Foce Yolanda for their prompt response. A total of 221,897 received jobs after
the said typhoon.
Aquino also said that AFP modernization will continue as the government is targeting to acquire
more aircraft and radar system. The PNP now also have 1:1 police to pistol ratio.
"The state is taking care of the needs of the police. And they are matching this support with
efficient and upright service," Aquino said.
More promises to track
Here are the some of the action items of the Aquino government for the next months or year:
Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike bidding by end of 2014
Open alternative roads to EDSA
Opening of the Palawan Busuanga Airport
Push Bangsamoro Basic Law
Ensure enough supply of power to meet the growing energy demand
2.606 trillion for 2015 National Budget