The final State of the Nation Address

To be fair to the Aquino administration, they have done a number of praiseworthy accomplishments during his tenure and it is but proper and fitting that he display and emphasize it on his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech. 

However, there are also damages inflicted and unresolved problems that will most probably be left by this administration come his term’s final day. One of the most deplorable issues that the administration was unable to resolve up until now was the setback in the transportation sector. 

The administration remains pretty much optimistic that the reforms implemented during his term will soon bear its fruit which will soon be proved to be valuable to the public the the years to come.

As imperfect as our President may be, as shown by the unsettled mishaps in the transportation sector, President Aquino calmly claimed that they have done their part and the rest of the problems were created by the previous administration.

There were unclear answers and topics which were spoken by the president such as, deteriorating mass railways. There are also some issue regarding congested airways which was already rehabilitated which enabled the Philippine carriers to lift the ban enforced by the United States and European safety watchdogs.

Another magnificent thing initiated by President Aquino and his men was the Public-Private Partnership Program (PPP), though it was also bombarded with a lot of criticisms. 

Despite of that, 10 projects were awarded thus far including big-ticket railways, toll roads and the most recently constructed world-class airport in Visayas.

President Aquino may have been well decorated by a number of remarkable feats and accomplishments during his reign, but all of these were overshadowed by his failure to find concrete solutions to most of the existing and most troublesome national setbacks today. 

To cite a great example of such, the Aquino administration have miserably failed to ease the restricted transportation access in Metro Manila, which is considered as the central hub for the country’s economic progress. It is also the place where most of the Filipino population is densely located.

The Aquino administration only have a few more months left in its term but they still have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the development of our transportation infrastructures. LRT (Light Rail Transit) Line 1 have been pestered by a series of machine breakdowns. 

Subsequent to that, the PNR (Philippine National Railways) also had it fair share of problems when its operations were suspended last May 2015 after the coaches got derailed allegedly due to stolen railway materials.

But the most prominent dilemma being faced by the Philippine transportation today is the MRT (Metro Rail Transit ) Line 3, almost 16 year of age, which crosses EDSA from time to time, serving close to 500,000 million passengers everyday. Its designed load capacity is only 350, 000 which often tends to be neglected, resulting to continuous malfunctioning of the train system, shutdowns and long line of commuters.

The news about the suspension of former MRT 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol III and him getting charged with graft isn’t going to help either. 

We need more positive actions coming from the Aquino administration for us to finally conclude that term work, was a “job well done”.

Who is Really to Blame?

Mamasapano Incident in the South:

Who is Really to Blame?

It has been a while now since the mainstream media brought us news from the south whereby 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were slaughtered in a clash initially guised as a “misencounter” with the joint forces of Muslim rebels, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), but was actually a result (or casualty) of an operation called Oplan Exodus which aims to capture two of US’s most wanted terrorists namely Zulkifli Abdhir (alias Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman. Both of whom are believed to be an affiliate to Jemaah Islamiyah, who are also both high-ranking and improvised explosives experts.

The said operation was in an alleged operation with the US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and Army Special Forces which took place in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015, Sunday. The result of which led to the death of a total of 62 individuals, 44 of which coming from the government’s Special Action Force.

Who is to blame?

Although skirmishes such as this “incident” is not uncommon in a predominantly Muslim south since the birth of the Muslim rebellion, whose issue is present to this day. The clash, now deemed as the “Mamasapano Incident,” is something that may not have existed if not for the recklessness that may have started from our very own government’s higher ups themselves, with special mention of the Command-in-Chief, which also happens to be the President. This is in consideriation to the fact that there was and is an ongoing peace process between the government itself and the Muslim rebels in an attempt to settle a dispute that lasted for generations, and possibly generations more, if not settled.

This ongoing war between the government and the Muslim rebels has benefited no one thus far but rather only costed the lives of many brave individuals whose only difference is the principles they believed in and are fighting for.

The Inviolable Chain-of-Command

There is a reason as to why our systems work under the design of a chain of command: that is to ensure a streamline flow of orders and execution whose powers of authority are coming from the top to the bottom, which, in our present-day context is shouldered primarily by the president, Ninoy Aquino – the top power of this so-called chain of command – and the lower units of power, Mar Roxas, et al. This is not a government held in power by a single individual, however. Our government is designed in such a way that it is composed of “powers-of-authority” other than the president whose existences are there for a reason: that is, to provide additional heads of authority together with the higher-most but whose power structure is set in a hierarchy. Basically, every powers from up-down structure of the government must be in full coordination with one another, not just in a secrecy of few, and is basically the essence of the chain-of-command which has been the power structure that has been in govern to us since the very first government was founded and began. It is not without its flaws, however, yet is something that has worked well thus far.

Alas, however, in an apparent show of improper coordination of those figures within the chain-of-command, an “incident” occured that has costed of not only few, but 62 valuable lives, especially to those families they left behind, whose occurence may have been prevented if proper execution of the chain-of-command has been practiced. Who really is to blame at this point? The figures within the chain-of-command, of course.

Will PNoy run for another term?

If PNoy runs for another term...

...then we deserve an explanation.

In a statement on a response of the Presidential Spokesperson, Secretary Edwin Lacierda, during a briefing on August, 22 2014 released on the following day in the official gazette.

The Palace clarifies the response of the Presidential Spokesperson in a briefing yesterday which he was asked if Aquino has plans of running for President for the second time.

The Palace clears the issue that this is not the case. The President has neither decided on term extension nor on endorsing a candidate, owing to the fact that his efforts are focused on more pressing matters of state.

Palace adds that it should be noted that the 2016 elections will push through, and that the administration will always follow the processes set by the Constitution.

...that the statement may have caused.

But just in case President Aquino has plans of running again, will the people give him another chance?

Another six years of term. We must think about it...Think a few reasons why not.

1. The Aquino administration's satisfaction rating fell on several key issues - including corruption and hunger - in the last quarter of 2013. It was a roller-coaster ride on the issue involving DAP, eradicating graft and corruption.

His plan of fighting against corruption was only good at first. While many people are struggling in life, the corruption cases among the government is still increasing. The tuwid na daan is not tuwid anymore.

Is it time to give chance to others who are more deserving to lead the Philippines.

2. The oil price spiked during his term. During his term theres always a price hike but seldom price rollback. The jeepney fare increased, commuters has no choice. Even protesters failed to stop the increase. No one does.

Economy were unchanged. Last June 2013 Ulat ng Bayan conducted a survey, from June 20 to July 4, Forty-three percent said the economy is unchanged. On the other hand, 29 percent said it worsened, while 28 percent believed it had improved Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/456301/survey-shows-4-in-10-filipinos-dont-think-the-economy-moved-at-all#ixzz3BVFp6TAN

3. Personalan. Revengeful. PNoy didn't sign the petition for Nora Aunor to become a National Artist. Rumor has it that during the campaign period, Ms. Aunor campaigned for Aquino's opponent and that made him mad during those days.

4. PNoy's intention of extending his term for another six years is ridiculous. And since the constitution allows only one term for the President, hopefully it will not be her sister Kris Aquino who will run for him.

Aquino loves saying motherhood statements. He recently suffered a big drop in Pulse Asia Survey. He’s trying to divert the attention away from his own shortfalls. The Philippines may have advanced in his regime but the improvements are not based on his accomplishments but the previous administration's.

5. Failure to appoint an effective DOTC Secretary. MRT3 has been poorly maintained which is managed DOTC/Abaya/government.  The Dept. of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and MRT-3 forced their way into actual operations precisely to award the contract to Global-APT’s dela Cruz. Dela Cruz not only is a compadre of Abaya, but also a campaigner for DOTC predecessor Mar Roxas in 2010.

On a note, the SWS noted the Aquino administration scored a "very bad" -51 rating for "resolving the Maguindanao massacre case with justice," below the "poor" -26 in March 2013.

Source: http://www.gov.ph/