Arroyo's Other "Achievements"

UPDATE: The list has been updated after GMA's SONA speech.

It's not just about GMA's election cheating that I'm angry about, folks.

When GMA loyalists claim that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the only person that can "fix the Philippines", na siya raw ang "savior" ng Pinas, and that we need to keep her na lang kahit na nandaya siya because she is the "lesser evil", all I can say is -- NOT IF YOU HAVE THESE AS YOUR OTHER "ACCOMPLISHMENTS"

The True State of the Nation Address is shown in President Gloria M. Arroyo's shameful record unmatched in Philippine history:

1) The first Chief Executive to be formally accused in Congress of cheating, lying and stealing.

2) The highest level of public debt (P6 trillion) and the biggest amount of foreign borrowing (more than Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada combined).

3) The biggest number of downgrades of American, British and Japanese credit rating firms.

4) The No. 2 most corrupt country in Asia in a survey of 102 countries according to the World Economic Forum and Asian Development Bank. Now also confirmed in the CBCP statement calling for “reforms” in her “graft-ridden” government. Estimates of amounts lost to corruption reach as high as P200 billion.

5) The most dangerous place for journalists in the whole world, 2nd only to war-torn Iraq according to the New York- based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and earlier the London based ICJ. And the killings of judges, prosecutors and lawyers are also common. Index crimes are up 15 percent over last year.

6) The new shabu-manufacturing center in Asia with the number of drug users multiplying rapidly. Marijuana plantations in the highlands are increasing.

7) The harshest repression of freedom of speech and of assembly topped by a no permit, no rally policy. Control of media is Malacañang's policy.

8) The highest unemployment rate (20.3 percent adult unemployment rate as reported by SWS) and the highest underemployment rate (26 percent) including the collapse of the garment industry. UP Economics professor Dr. Ernesto Pernia found out that with 1.4 million new entrants to the labor force yearly, GMA created only 800,000 new jobs annually, many of them casual or part-time.

9) The weakest link in the war on terror and the loss of standing and respect in the international community accompanied by a deterioration of US-Philippine relations. Mindanao has been tagged as a terrorist training ground.

10) The most expensive and the most fraudulent elections held ever on May 10, 2004, now documented on tape and prefabricated election returns and certificates of canvass. A ranking DBM official has now revealed that P750 million was released to PhilHealth before the elections and more than P3 billion has been spent for the alagaan mo ang kalsada natin election gimmicks.

11) The fastest deterioration in the poverty line from 32 percent under President Erap to 53 percent in four years of GMA with a Ph.D. in Economics. Hunger stalks the land with 58 percent saying they are not eating properly, with many saying they eat only once a day. Many are even selling their bodies or their organs just to survive.

12) Interference with the Supreme Court and other inferior courts highlighted by mediocre appointments to the judiciary stressing political paybacks and personal loyalty to GMA.

13) The most number of casinos and gambling establishments and proliferation of gambling operations nationwide topped by an importation of 60,000 slot machines and a jueteng payola reaching billions of pesos. We are now one big gambling parlor.

14) The highest dollar-peso exchange rate (P56.50 to $1).

15) The highest importation of rice over a four-year period (about 6,000 metric tons) indicating a failure in agriculture and agrarian reform amid claims of billions in kickbacks.

16) The highest prices of oil products ever (P33.80 per liter for premium).

17) The most number of foreign and domestic trips by a President accompanied by a big entourage, a big travel budget.

18) The most number of adverse travel advisories released by foreign governments against travel to the Philippines.

19) The largest number of retired AFP and PNP officers appointed to civilian positions.

20) The biggest number of doctors, nurses, managers, professionals, even domestics and caregivers leaving the country with 7,000 braving death or injury in Iraq. An estimated 10,000 doctors have left or about to leave the country as nurses.

21) The biggest percentage increase of service and clearance fees, toll (3,000 percent), license fees, ever imposed by any administration. You even have to pay to enter an NBI office.

22) The lowest amount ($14 million) of foreign investment in any given year aggravated by the departure of major investors for China such as FedEx lately.

23) The biggest number of pyramid scams, pre-need plans, bankruptcy, thereby a failure to protect the consumer.

24) Condemnation by the German government and business associations on the Fraport-Piatco issue.

25) The Peace Bonds scam giving away P1.3 billion to Code NGO and incurring a P35 billion additional debt in the process.

26) The biggest amount of unpaid pensions to AFP and PNP retirees (P17 billion). And unpaid DPWH contracts.

27) The biggest importer of used cars and tax-free luxury cars highlighting a record of smuggling.

28) The emergence of fake US treasury bills, fake dollar and peso bills, fake drugs, fake CDs and VCDs, fake brand name products, fake recruiters, fake passports, topped by a fake President, fake Vice President and fake senators. And now a fake impeachment complaint.

29) The first President to send her spouse into exile.

30) The first President whose Sona address is boycotted by a big number of senators and congressmen.

What do all these amount to? A failure of governance by the worst administration in our 107-year history.