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Hits and misses: Last 100 days of the Aquino administration

By Emmanuel J. Lopez (philstar.com) | Updated April 7, 2016 – 9:15am

More or less a hundred days are left before this administration takes a bow on what could be one of the best or worse terms that any chief executive could have in the six-year term of presidency. The Aquino regime has been reproached with charges of ineptness and obliviousness in the area of economic development.

The growth occurrences that have become the bragging rights of this administration has been exclusive only for the upper strata of the society leaving those in the grassroots to fend for themselves — literally pleading for government support. This is proven by statistics. Thirty percent of the population live below the poverty threshold in 2010. This number hardly changed in 2015, when 25.8 percent of the population live below the poverty threshold. Despite some “major” shortcomings of the Aquino presidency, perception of stability has been made and acknowledged by local and international credit grading agencies.

The reputable Moody’s Investors Service described the Philippines’ macroeconomic profile as “moderate,” better than the assessment for selected neighboring countries. It further added, “Moody’s expects the Philippines to post a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of six percent this year (2016), faster than the 5.8 percent recorded last year (2015).” With less than 100 days left, the Aquino administration is expected to fast-track the spending program which is meant to either prop-up election-related “activities” or boost economic growth by pump priming.

With less than 100 days left, the Aquino administration is expected to fast-track the spending program which is meant to either prop-up election-related “activities” or boost economic growth by pump priming.

The local version of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, better known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which started its pilot operation in 2007, has become one of the major poverty alleviation platforms of the government. But it hardly translated to major gains in its thrust to alleviate the plight of the poor. The thrust to make them self-sufficient has remained elusive due to the program’s scheme which makes the poor reliant on a mere dole out package.

The positive and the negative

The last 100 days of the Aquino government will surely be a time for reminiscing where positive and negative obligations have been done. Promises that were not kept should force them to cram to accomplish empty promises that are hoped to be consummated before the term expires.

Despite claims of an improved economy as manifested by the growth of GDP, Prof. Leonor Magtolis Briones of Social Watch said that the president has failed to fulfill his promises on the matter of social development and protection of the Constitution. She stressed that, “Many Filipinos still consider themselves poor and hungry. Claims of robust growth can only be substantiated if they benefit from it.” The government has been heralding the achievement of economic growth, but this proved to be ineffective to those who matter most — the people in the grassroots.

The government has been heralding the achievement of economic growth, but this proved to be ineffective to those who matter most — the people in the grassroots.

The improvement in the economy has been exclusively felt only by people in the upper strata of the society plus at least the middle class not by an increase in income but by a variety of sophistication that proliferates in the market every now and then. Despite the Supreme Court outlawing its existence, the Priority Development Assistance Fund program better known as the PDAF still managed to continue under a different form by way of an expanded budgetary allotment.

Local economic performance was wanting compared to the people’s expectations. In several instances, growth achievements have been down not because of the lack of government money but because of involuntary public underspending. On a micro perspective, local transportation facilities remain a “calvary” to hapless citizens that earn their bread and butter from the daily grind but literally “punished helplessly” by the “Aquino brand” of transportation facilities. Despite continuous clamors to relieve Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya from his position, friendship and influence kept him secure; a situation where friendship comes first before the people’s welfare. While other governments reel from the lack of government money to accomplish growth prospect, our government refused to spend its budget resulting into the slowing down of growth prospects.

The forthcoming national elections is a prognosis of the people’s perception of the Aquino administration’s six-year rule. The President has set aside “delicadeza” and came out in the open to the extent of using government facilities to actively campaign and root for his favored candidates. An election outcome that favors the administration is a vindication that the people agree with his rule, an indication they want a continuity of the program that PNoy has started.

An election outcome that favors the administration is a vindication that the people agree with his rule

Latest reports indicate that the Philippines has the third most number of journalists killed last year 2015 and has continued to be among the countries where press freedom is imperiled, according to two international media watchdogs. The London-based International News Safety Institute (INSI) said that last year 14 journalists were killed in the Philippines next to Syria with 20 journalists killed and Iraq with 16. Human rights violations continue to hound the Aquino administration despite his campaign promise of an end to it when he took his oath in 2010.

On the brighter side, however, the perception of good governance continues to be the feather in the cap of this administration. His trust rating has been consistently high presumably until the end of his term. Business confidence remain consistently high because of leadership trust which should have been taken advantage of and transformed into more concrete accomplishments by attracting foreign investments. But up to now, it has remained elusive.

Hits and misses: Last 100 days of the Aquino administration

The positive and the negative

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