It's about Arroyo getting pikon during a Q and A portion with the media because they asked her some tough political questions. Bush gets asked some tough political questions too, especially on iraq, plamegate etc., pero cool lang siya. Because if he acted like the way arroyo did, mas lalong bababa pa ang tingin ng publiko at media sa kanya.
But arroyo on the other hand, seems to be able to stage-manage and hold scripted media events, where there are the media is only allowed to ask certain questions approved by malacanang. We've seen this before already. The disappointing thing is that there are certain number of pro-Arroyo media types (philstar, manila standard) that are willing to to malacanang's line.
Arroyo loses cool in roundtable discussion with media
By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s infamous temper flared up once more when she abruptly ended an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer in front of a stunned audience which included three Cabinet Secretaries and an official of the International Monetary Fund.
Click here for GMATV’s video report.
President Arroyo was nettled by repeated questions on why the benefits of a spectacular economic growth had not trickled down to the grassroots. She blew her top even before the Inquirer could finish what turned out to be the brief interview’s final question: “Isn’t it a concern for you ma’am that the billionaires during the time of Marcos and Ramos are also the same billionaires now?”
“Those are political questions, Gil. Thank you. That’s the end, thank you. I said it’s (just) follow up questions here. Thank you. And good luck to you in the Senate and in the defense. Ok thanks,” said the President who pushed back her chair before leaving. She left in a huff after saying brief thank yous to her guests that included newly appointed Presidential Chief of Staff Joey Salceda, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, and IMF country representative Reza Baquir.
I don't really see anything wrong with Gil's question. In fact, it's such a softball question compared to the queries the Bush administration is getting from an aggressive White House press corp on a daily basis.
I don't see the point of malacanang holding a press conference or interview with the media if there are certain questions that are off limits. If many in the malacanang's press corp are willing to abide by the restrictions imposed by the malacanang on certain questions to gain more access to arroyo, then they are witting tools being played by this administration to shape and spin the news. And they should be ashamed to call themselves journalists.
A few minutes after leaving in a huff through the back door, the President came back and approached the Inquirer to give her answer. “We will not grow rich by pulling the rich down but by pulling the poor up.. We should be bringing up everybody else…spread the wealth that way. That’s my answer to you,” said the President who made another quick exit.
The President’s outburst was typical of her disdain of the media since she took power in 2001.
She is believed to be the least accessible of all Philippine presidents, preferring to let her Cabinet men – specifically Bunye, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and former Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor — to explain and defend her government.
Nagpahabol pa si maam arroyo. Somebody from her cabinet must have given her this snappy comeback to use against Gil, or texted it to her after nag-walkout si maam, because Arroyo is not known for her sharp and quick responses to tough unscripted questions. Clinton's good at it, and so is Erap, but not Maam. And i would have been more impressed if she answered gil's comments on the spot during the Q and A in front instead of getting pikon for such a softie question.
Besides, the real story is that the middle class is in big trouble. This is a new development because of the exponentially higher costs of living (e.g. have you seen your electricity bills lately?), taxes and stagnant salaries. to the point na more and more of the middle class are becoming poor themselves and can't afford many things anymore. we are not creating enough decent paying jobs in this country, because of investors find to doing business here too costly and expensive. kaya nagsi-alisan na ang mga karamhinan sa middle class at mga "nouveau poor" just to find work overseas. because the only decent jobs available left that the admin likes to crow about are the call centers, and the poor and the majority of the middle class are at a disadvantage competing against overqualified lasalle and ateneo english speaking grads for a frickin entry-level job (albeit a high paying one).
More commentary from Neal Cruz:
In the first place, why did she invite the reporters if she didn’t want to answer questions? Reporters are a very inquisitive lot. By keeping herself away from the press for so long, the President only increases the press people’s inquisitiveness. Have you noticed that it is Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye and Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita who have been briefing the press? GMA has been shying away from the media more and more since the “Hello Garci” scandal. She still cannot answer that one, so better “No talk, no mistake.”
And yet GMA pines for more positive publicity. She complains that the press is not publishing the accomplishments of her administration. But how will the press know those achievements if she hides from the press? Tinatarayan pa.
She wants to have a good press but she treats the press badly. During a press conference, she imposes the condition that no political questions should be asked. No political questions during the campaign period of a political year? When the whole nation eats, breathes and thinks politics? And she herself goes all over the country to shake hands and deliver speeches—in other words, play politics.
What GMA is trying to do is manipulate the press in her favor. That, she will never succeed in doing. To paraphrase a famous saying: She can fool some of the press people all the time, and fool all of them some of the time, but she cannot fool all of them all the time.
Read the whole thing.
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