More Pinoys poor, hungry, jobless – VP

INDANG, Cavite, Philippines  – Vice President Jejomar Binay delivered here yesterday what he said was the “True State of the Nation Address,” saying more Filipinos became poor, hungry and jobless while corruption remained rampant after five years of the Aquino administration.

Binay said the figures on economic growth that President Aquino presented during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week masked the painful truth that only a few, which include rich Filipinos and those close to him, benefitted from the much-vaunted economic growth, while a majority of Filipinos are still poor, hungry and unemployed.

“It is so easy to throw numbers around. Numbers that, at first glance, seem brilliant and desirable,” Binay said in his speech at the gymnasium of the Cavite State University (CvSU) here, attended by his family and allies.

“But the glaring truth cannot be suppressed, the truth that has been hidden from and denied the Filipino people,” he said.

The Vice President said after five years of the Aquino administration, the economic growth it flaunted failed to benefit millions of workers, farmers and the urban poor.

Instead, the rewards of growth remained “exclusive” to those already rich. 

“Among them are the rich who have become even richer in the past five years, including our President’s friends, classmates and colleagues in the Liberal Party,” he said.

 Misleading figures

 Binay noted that while the country’s foreign direct investment exceeded P6 billion in 2014, the President did not say that this is the lowest FDI among countries in Southeast Asia.

“Even if the 2014 foreign direct investments are indeed record-breaking, they did not result in employment for the majority,” he pointed out.

The Vice President said the bulk or 21 percent of the FDI went to financial and insurance activities, which did not generate enough jobs.

The labor-intensive sectors like manufacturing and mining got only six percent of the FDI, he added.

Moreover, Binay said that while the country’s upgraded credit ratings helped attract the interest of foreign investors, these did not translate into actual investment.

“They remained just that: an interest to invest and nothing else,” he said.

“Why? Because the administration’s refusal to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution that prohibits the entry of FDIs stop foreign investors from coming in,” he said.

The Vice President said if the economic provisions of the Constitution were amended, the primary sectors of the country would be opened to foreign investors, resulting in increased jobs and employment opportunities for Filipinos.

“Once these economic provisions are amended, public utilities will be opened up and will speed up formation of public-private partnerships and much-improved services and facilities for everyone,” he said.

Meanwhile, Binay also questioned figures flaunted by the President in last week’s SONA showing a decrease in the number of poor Filipinos.

“What the administration failed to tell us is that they used a very low poverty threshold. For them, a person who has P58 to spend in a day is no longer considered poor,” he said.

Citing the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations, Binay said five in every 10 Filipinos still considered themselves poor.

“That is more than 11 million people saying that up until today, after five years of traversing the ‘right path,’ they remain stuck in poverty,” Binay said.

He went on to question the President’s claim that there are fewer overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) now because there are more job opportunities in the country.

“According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration itself, there has been an increase in the number of Filipinos wanting to leave the Philippines to find work in other countries,” he said.

From 2,500 average daily deployment before Aquino became president, the number rose to 6,092 during the first quarter of this year, Binay said. 

The Vice President said that while it was true many OFWs were returning to the country, the administration refused to admit the real reason they have returned.

“There is the policy in Saudi Arabia where citizens are given priority over overseas workers. There is also the financial crisis in Europe, which led to the closure of businesses and massive layoff of workers. This happened almost at the same time as the Middle East and African crises that affected numerous OFWs,” Binay said.

In his speech, the Vice President cited what he said reflected the Aquino administration’s insensitivity and incompetence.

Binay cited the Luneta hostage taking in 2010, Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, and the Mamasapano, Maguindanao carnage last Jan. 25 where he said the administration displayed its insensitivity.

“In Tacloban, in the midst of the damage brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda, while bodies lay scattered, people roamed hungry, thirsty, crying, pleading for relief, did the administration not say, ‘Oh, but you’re still alive anyway’.”

Meanwhile, he said the three acronyms that symbolized the administration’s incompetence are MRT (Metro Rail Transit), BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) and DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program).

“There was a more than P5-billion budget for DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) to overhaul the MRT-3 in 2014. But it has not been done until today. And despite the poor service, they raised the MRT fare,” he said.

Binay blamed the replacement of the MRT maintenance providers for the inefficient service.

“They switched maintenance providers. They replaced Sumitomo, who had extensive experience, with the fledgling PH Trams Company. And who is behind PH Trams? The allies and partymates of the former and the current secretaries of the DOTC,” he said.

He also slammed the non-inclusion of the former DOTC secretary Manuel Roxas II and current Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya in the case filed by the ombudsman in connection with irregularities in the bidding for the MRT contract.

The Vice President blasted the administration’s view that those who oppose the BBL are automatically against peace.

“The administration has no monopoly in wanting peace. All of us have prayed and longed for a peaceful and well-developed Mindanao,” he said.

Binay asked Malacañang yesterday not to pressure members of Congress to pass the proposed BBL.

He said Malacañang should respect Congress being a co-equal branch of government.

“Congress should not be threatened, be forced into anything, or be offered bribes so it can do what the Palace wants,” he said in is 45-minute speech.

Binay urged lawmakers to scrutinize the BBL and ensure it hews to the  Constitution and does not compromise national sovereignty.

On DAP, Binay said it is the brightest example of wasting government funds in our history.

“According to experts who have reviewed the DAP, for every peso spent, only one centavo benefits the poor. I repeat, a measly centavo for the poor,” he said.

While Aquino enumerated his accomplishments, Binay said Aquino forgot to mention that a number of the programs were started or were planned by previous administrations as early as President Ramos’ time and were merely continued or completed by the Aquino administration as required by government rules. 

“We should also recognize that the past administrations contributed reforms that are now bearing fruit,” he said.

Salute to SAF 44

Finally, Binay assailed the President for failing to even thank the 44 Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who gave up their lives to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, who was killed during the operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

Binay recited the names of all the 44 slain police officers whose faces were printed on a mural placed on stage.

“In Mamasapano, 44 officers gave up their lives for the country. But their heroism was neither acknowledged nor mentioned in the SONA. They did not even get a TY (Thank you),” Binay said.

“The hair stylist and fashion designer were more fortunate, as they were dutifully included in the long ‘gratitude list’,” he said.

Binay concluded his speech by thanking the SAF 44 one by one and saluted their mural, which served as backdrop for the counter-SONA.

Joey Salgado, Binay’s spokesman for media affairs, said the mural, Tagaligtas 44, measuring 7 by 26 feet, was produced by the Erehwon Art Collective. It depicts each of the fallen heroes, in full combat gear, in various unit configurations.

The mural was placed at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City but was “ordered” removed, according to Salgado.

He said the mural would be displayed at the Coconut Palace in Pasay City, where Binay is holding office.

He said the country’s progress does not merely rely on the “tuwid na daan (straight path)” slogan of the Aquino administration.

He said the country could not afford another six years under an “insensitive” administration.

“The Filipinos will continue to suffer if the people who will lead the country haven’t experienced hunger and haven’t slept on the floor,” he said.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III and his brother Isabela Vice Gov. Antonio Albano, both members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), have expressed support to the presidential bid of Binay.

The Albanos explained that they support Binay, whose mother is an Ibanag.

Rep. Silvestre Bello III, of the 1BAP party-list who is from the Ilagan City in Isabela, also supports Binay.

Binay and Bello are fraternity brothers in Alpha Phi Omega.

The Albanos and Bello told The STAR the next elections would be an opportunity for Isabela and Cagayan Valley to install a President coming from the region.  – With Raymund Catindig