MANILA, OCTOBER 7, 2010 (MALAYA) FORMER President Joseph Estrada gave President Aquino a passing grade for his first 100 days in office.
"It would take time for any president to achieve concrete economic results in a limited amount of time of 100 days because of the Arroyo administration's record of massive corruption, from election rigging to the fertilizer fund scam to the failure of the justice system among others, not to mention its record of extrajudicial killings, which left our economy severely damaged. The damage cannot be corrected in just 100 days," Estrada said.
Estrada stressed that for the Aquino administration to be effective, it must not only focus on anti-corruption measures that will correct blunders of the Arroyo administration but must implement long-term pro-poor policies. He said the proposed increase in MRT fares and the slash in the budget of state colleges and universities do not reflect a pro-poor advocacy. "Under my administration, the rates for power and water never increased. We also brought down the fare for the MRT to P20 to become affordable for the poor. Then we increased the budget for education because it is mandated under the Constitution."
Estrada also advised Aquino to address peace and order, especially in Mindanao. "If (this administration) is successful in ending the secessionist movement, then it can expect an increase in foreign direct investments not only in Mindanao but in the Philippines as a whole because this would bring renewed confidence in the country. This will eventually lead to a better economy and address the issue of poverty with long-term results."
Sergio Ortiz-Luis, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said business believes Aquino is off to a good start. He qualified that 100 days is too short to gauge a leader's performance but said Aquino has set the pace.
"He has laid the ground work and set up the direction. Of course there is the usual learning curve, familiarization and dismantling of the things he does not like," he said.
Ortiz-Luis added that Aquino in his 100-day report was consistent with his political campaign slogan of transparency in government. "Even if we have not seen big results, what is important is we have shown the people the direction," he said, adding that business-wise, the performance of portfolio investments (stock market) is a proof of renewed confidence and this trial balloon should translate to more hard investments in the future.
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines-Mindanao said in a statement that Aquino's first 100 days was "clearly a foray into consolidating for the interests of both foreign monopoly capitalists and the local ruling class of landlords and big bourgeois compradors, and intend nothing for the Filipino people but further destitution and exploitation."
The NDFP claimed Aquino won the presidency through "a pre-programmed automated election system orchestrated by the US in collaboration with a faction of the ruling class" and accused him of taking on his bandwagon former president Gloria Arroyo, the Ampatuan warlords, "drug lords Jalosjos in Zamboanga del Norte, Parojinog in Misamis Occidental, and Romarate in Surigao del Norte," of extending the anti-communist Oplan Bantay Laya's life, and of failing to solve extra-judicial killings of activists, progressive individuals and media workers.
Party list group Katribu said Aquino's performance is "way below par" in the eyes of indigenous peoples. "The P-Noy administration from all indications is hell-bent to follow the same crooked and bloody path of his predecessors," said Katribu president Beverly Longid. "In P-Noy's first 100 days, he offered no significant change. President Noynoy administration failed to address the immediate demands of the indigenous peoples. He likewise failed to initiate policy and institutional reforms needed to uplift the dismal state of the indigenous peoples."
Environmental groups Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment, Defend Patrimony Alliance and Philippine Climate Watch Alliance all gave Aquino a failing grade for "lack of effort" and "not acting decisively" to protect the country's environment and natural resources
"We were expecting that the new Aquino administration would reverse the policies of the previous administration that run counter to environmental protection and conservation. However, this has not been fulfilled," said Clemente Bautista of Kalikasan PNE. "In the first three months, President Aquino was unable to provide a clear and comprehensive environmental agenda on how the government will rehabilitate the local ecosystems and reverse the environmental degradation in the country."
Bautista said Aquino's campaign promise to review all current mining projects in the country has not been fulfilled as not a single mining project, including midnight mining deals approved by the previous administration, has been looked into.
Meggie Nolasco, spokesperson of Climate Watch, said Aquino's statement that he will focus on climate mitigation instead of climate adaptation is "worrisome." She said this could be a reason why measures on increasing the capacity and capability of local communities to cope with global warming effects are almost non-existent.
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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