PHNO-HL: 3rd SONA: THUMBS UP FROM FVR, ERAP / NOY'S REPORT CARD: FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH GROUP

3rd SONA: THUMBS UP FROM FVR, ERAP / NOY'S
REPORT CARD: FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH GROUP


[PHOTOS FROM LEFT FORMER PRESIDENT FIDEL V. RAMOS;
FORMER PRESIDENT JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA]
MANILA, JULY
24, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Maila Ager - President
Benigno Aquino III 's report to the nation on Monday received a thumbs up from
two former presidents of the country.
In fact, former president Joseph Estrada could no longer ask for anything
more after listening to the more than and a half hours speech of Aquino.
"Ok naman so far. Ang haba na nga e, more than one hour," Estrada told
reporters after the President's speech delivered during his third state of the
nation address (Sona) held at the House of Representatives in Quezon City.
Estrada commended Aquino for his efforts to get rid of the "sins and
mistakes" of the past administration considering that he has been in office for
only two years.
The former leader also backed Aquino's endorsement of the controversial
Reproductive Health Bill.
"Sa akin 'yon ang isa sa mga solution," Estrada added.
Overall, Estrada described Aquino's Sona as credible, saying it showed his
zeal in mapping out reforms for the country.
Former president Fidel V. Ramos also gave his approval of the President's
report to the nation.
"We should support the President because he's the skipper of our one and only
ship at lahat tayo ay nakasakay doon," Ramos said in a separate interview with
reporters.
"At kahit ano man ang kahirapan ngayon, marami pang hindi nabanggit, tulungan
natin dahil s'ya ang skipper at medyo matindi pa ang panahon at malayo pa ang
ating pupuntuhan,' said Ramos.
Vice President Jejomar Binay was also all praises for Aquino.
"Napaka liwanag ng pagkakasabi ng Pangulo. Ang repormang nagawa niya na hindi
nagawa ng nakaraang administrasyon," Binay said.
"Maliwanag na maliwanag ang reporma sa kanyang panahon," he said.
But unlike Estrada, Binay could not give a categorical answer when asked if
he agreed with the President's endorsement of the RH bill.
"Tingnan natin kung paano. Pag uusapan pa iyon. Hindi pa naman tapos 'yong
bill na 'yon," said the Vice President, adding that he has yet to see the
proposed legislation. With a report from Fat Reyes

OK all the way, thumbs down on quite a few Fighting stance vs
poverty: Conditional cash transfer program By Inquirer Research and
Editorial Group Philippine Daily Inquirer 1:13 am | Sunday, July 22nd, 2012
As of June 27, 2012, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has
reached out to a total of 3,014,586 families, a little more than the 2012 target
of 3 million.
Of this figure, Mindanao has the highest number of beneficiaries totaling
1,294,946, followed by Luzon (1,030,078) and Visayas (689,562).
Between January and February 2012, the program reported a compliance rate of
95.89 among mothers who visited healthcare centers for checkups and immunization
of their babies; 97.97 percent among mothers who brought their kids to
healthcare centers for deworming; 95.15 attendance rate in day-care center among
kids; and 96.40 attendance rate for primary and secondary schoolchildren.
In May, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) found that self-rated poverty
dropped to an estimated 10.3 million Filipino households, or 51 percent of total
households in the country.
The figure declined from the 11.1 million households, or 55 percent, recorded
in March.
Those who said they were poor in terms of food accounted for 39 percent,
which translated to approximately 7.9 million households, a drop from the 45
percent or 9.1 million families recorded in March.
Sustain economic momentum to earn credit ratings upgrade for the country
The Philippine economy grew by only 3.7 percent in 2011, below the government
target of 4.5 to 5.5 percent, amid external economic problems and government
underspending on infrastructure in the second and third quarters.
However, in the first quarter of 2012, the country's gross domestic product
grew by 6.4 percent, which was on record as the highest in Southeast Asia and
the second highest in Asia. Romulo A. Virola, secretary general of the National
Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), attributed much of the growth to the
services sector (4.7 percentage points), followed by industry (1.6 points), and
agriculture, fisheries and forestry (0.1 point).


Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved




PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE


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