What is the single most significant achievement of the PGMA administration?

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: She managed to lower the rate of the US dollar against the peso from P56 in 2001 to P46 now. She also kept the economy smoothly running despite the US financial meltdown when many economists thought we would go bankrupt.  

Miguelito Herrera, Cabanatuan City: Even if I can think of one significant achievement, many other things went wrong during her nine years in Malacañang and it’s too late for her to redeem herself.  

The unpopular e-VAT

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: The imposition of the expanded value-added tax. It helped the economy to stay afloat and GMA to stay alive. The author, however, lost in his reelection bid! -

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: The e-VAT. We could have faced more difficulties and our budget deficit would have been doubled or tripled if the e-VAT had not been implemented.

Leonard Villa, Batac City: Albeit unpopular and hated by almost all Filipinos, the most significant achievement of the Arroyo government is the e-VAT. It saved the government from financial disaster.  

I.Q. Calata, Parañaque City: It is the implementation of the e-VAT, which buoyed the economy to a large degree. It was so unpopular a move that it cost the reelection bid of its principal author in the Senate. But it has proven to be the right step to make in the precarious situation of the nation’s economy. It actually helped convince the world’s economic watchdogs and administration critics that our government knew its economic fundamentals.  

William Gonzaga, Marikina City: The approval of the value added tax despite widespread opposition from various sectors either adversely affected or always looking for negative points against the administration could be considered as PGMA’s single notable achievement. Severely criticized, its implementation nevertheless improved the country’s financial standing and provided needed funds for the national treasury. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the abuses and corruption permeating the government and perpetrated by PGMA’s subalterns.  

The nautical highway

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: It would be the Philippine nautical highway and keeping the country afloat in spite of the worldwide economic turmoil.  

Felix Ramento, Metro Manila: It was a simple idea, but the practicality of the RO-RO, with the complementary infrastructure that were put up, is the most outstanding achievement of the PGMA administration.  

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: The most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is the Strong Republic Nautical Highway. This system reduces the usual travel time by 17 hours to the different key cities, enhances the accessibility of prime tourist destinations, and minimizes the handling expenses of goods all over the country.  

Pryncez Seira Fajardo, Nueva Ecija: For me, it’s the RO-RO system.  

Staying in power

Rossini Torres, Nueva Ecija: Honestly, I can’t think of a significant positive achievement of the PGMA administration. My mind is clouded by different controversies and issues airing on national TV, plus the fact that we are ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Maybe one achievement is that she stayed in power for nine years in spite of everything. Pretty impressive, huh?

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: M/V Gloria has weathered all super storms and is steering safely to its point of destination on June 30, 2010.  

Aaron Rivera, Nueva Ecija: There’s no doubt that most people dislike her, but despite that she stayed in her position and is finishing her term.  

Ethel Kate Cruz, Nueva Ecija: Due to controversies that she and her administration faced, hanging on in spite of everything she dealt with is what I consider the most significant achievement of her administration. PGMA deserves our respect for not letting our economy fall during the global financial crisis.  

Meecko Camacho, Nueva Ecija: Despite all the controversies, the administration remained tough and indestructible. That’s what I think PGMA’s most significant achievement is. Without a doubt, she’s a sturdy woman.  

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Her achievements include: Staying alive, that is, hanging by its fingernails, amid charges of being a pretender to the throne; King Kong-size corruption; advertising programs, like running after the big fish in smuggling, graft and corruption, tax evasion and jueteng, but failing to carry out such.  

.  Louella Brown, Baguio City: The single most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is that it has kept us sane despite numerous controversies confronting it

Keeping the economy afloat

Pat Cuilan, Benguet: We give credit to PGMA’s economic fundamentals that minimized the harmful effects of the global meltdown that inflicted damage to the rest of the world.  

Dante de los Reyes, Bacolod City: The economy is stable despite the global economic crisis. Congratulations are in order!  

Mark Kenneth Santos, Nueva Ecija: I think the most significant achievement of PGMA is her developing a a plan to lift the Philippines out of financial crisis. Looking back on her first year as President, she cited economic survival as her greatest achievement, although she remained well aware that much work lay ahead.  

V. Valera, Parañaque City: Of course, it’s the economy, which, unfortunately, is the least appreciated and least understood by voters.  

Ruben Viray, Metro Manila: The PGMA administration maintained the economic stability of the country and established the Philippines as a safe place for foreign investments.  

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: PGMA was able to manage the economy despite political uncertainty and a budget deficit.  

Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: It’s keeping the economy afloat. Another would be honest, clean, orderly, and credible elections in 2010.

None that I can recall

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: They said her frequent travels abroad brought significant fruits for us to partake in. Where are those?  

Ed Alawi, Davao City: I cannot think of any significant achievement of the PGMA administration because all their moves are tainted with self-interest, dynastic, and corrupt.  

Indira Ganias, Nueva Ecija: Actually, nothing. Her presidency is just all about corruption and scandals.  

Ernesto Oliquiano, Las Piñas City: I’m sorry, but I can’t remember any single achievement of the PGMA administration that may be considered significant. The country’s economy didn’t improve despite her being an economist. Poverty has worsened. If not for the dollar remittances of our OFWs, we might be worse than other developing Asian countries. Peace and order has not improved. The MILF, Abu Sayyaf, unsolved killings, etc. are still problems. Corruption in the bureaucracy has remained unabated. In fact, it worsened under PGMA. If there is any significant (non)achievement under PGMA’s administration, it is her use of executive privilege, which, if allowed, can be used as a tool by succeeding presidents to hide malpractices in the government.  

Rene Poder, Manila: The scandals pushed her achievements to the sidelines. Her knowledge of Spanish and Cebuano enabled her to push the program of prisoner exchange. If I were to couple her name with “achievement”, my text to Inbox may be rejected due to “inappropriate keywords”.  

Darlin Lustre, Cabanatuan City: We’re still experiencing so much poverty, discrimination, corruption, all kinds of crime, and there’s still the unending war in Mindanao. PGMA neither eliminated nor lessened all these. If at all, her achievements did not reach the people. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer!  

Infrastructure projects

Bryan Angelo Ramos, Nueva Ecija: The most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is infrastructure improvement, especially the SCTEX, which is a big help to motorists.  

Jimmy Donton, Puerto Princesa City: I strongly believe that because of additional tax measures, the PGMA administration managed to rehabilitate major roads and ports to speed up the transport of goods and services in the provinces, through the RORO, and provide alternative cheaper routes for travelers and tourists.  

Marie Elaine Joyce Garcia, Nueva Ecija: Its significant achievement is the improvement of roads in different parts of the country.  

Rose Leobrera, Manila: The SCTEX is one project taht I like, but wasn’t its construction laden with corruption? She has built a lot of infrastructure, but most are surrounded by charges of anomaly and kickback.  

Bernadette Regala, Nueva Ecija: We cannot deny the fact that her administration did some things that benefited our country. Ports and roads were built and rehabilitated, like the RORO, C-5, and SCTEX. These are very advantageous, especially to travelers and dealers. It improved the transport of goods and services in our country. Also, her constituents did well in facilitating housing projects.  

A record of corruption

Col. Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: The most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is making our beloved Philippines No. 1 in Asia and among the top 10 worldwide in graft and corruption.  

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: According to GMA, it’s the economy. To me, her significant achievement is nurturing the Philippines into one of the most shamelessly corrupt nations in the world.  

Fortunato Aguirre, Bulacan: It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, but if it can be called an achievement, then the obnoxious ZTE-NBN scandal tops them all.  

Dennis Acop, Benguet: Frankly, nothing comes to mind. I honestly cannot think of one single achievement of the GMA administration. But, one single thing the GMA administration could be easily remembered by is its record of mind-boggling corruption, perhaps next to or about the level achieved by the Marcos administration  probably even more, considering that Marcos reigned for two decades while GMA just lorded it over for nine years. “Hello, Garci?” is part of this legacy of corruption. So were NBN-ZTE, road users’ tax, Jose Pidal, P1 million dinners during frequent foreign junkets, disaster unpreparedness, more regressive taxes to make up for collection shortfalls due to corruption in the revenue-generating agencies, and just about all issues of corruption across the bureaucracy, owing to leadership by corruption.  

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: I can’t think of any single most significant achievement of the Arroyo government because she has more insignificant achievements than outstanding ones, plus the string of scandals and issues.  

Genesis Ongpauco, Nueva Ecija: I think the most significant of all her achievements as our President is that she became richer than ever.  

Moving holidays

Chris Navarro, Las Piñas City: She declared special holidays as often as she could, thus giving me more time to spend vacations with my family in Mindoro.  

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: Moving the date of holidays to make them more meaningful, less expensive, and favorable to spending more time with family, which, in turn, promotes tourism. No President in the past has thought of, much less done, that. I only doubt whether the incoming president will adopt the same policy.  

Foreign relations

Lucas Banzon Madamba II, USA: The infrastructure projects as well as the financial support PGMA sought from world leaders, which has helped beef up the economy and has helped in times of typhoons and disasters are the most significant achievements of the PGMA administration.  

Janine Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija: The most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is our having friendly relations with other countries. This ultimately benefits the people.  

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: She made the Philippines popular internationally with her many travels, where she received pledges and promises of investment, foreign aid, donations, etc. for our country. Some travels, though, were subjected to criticism because of costs.  

Democratizing the country’s wealth

Loi Castillo, Davao City: In fairness to PGMA, she is a hands-on President who did not sit and warm her bench in Malacañang in Imperial Manila. She went around the country to feel the pulse of Filipinos outside NCR. Ibinalik lang niya sa mga rehiyon ang buwis na dapat mapunta sa kanila at hindi lahat itinambak sa NCR.  

Mandy Rillon, Cabanatuan City: I believe GMA’s best accomplishment is redistributing the revenue to the poorest in the countryside. This is democratizing the wealth of the country. Some would say it is corrupting the people; I say this is merciful and very Christian. Is it not the same way Canada and Australia are helping their economically incapable inhabitants?  

She replaced Erap

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: No President is perfect. But let’s just make it simple. Imagine both headlines: “GMA speaks in a UN meeting” and “Erap speaks in a UN meeting.” Oh yes, I don’t even have to let you choose.  

Carlito Pajaro, Metro Manila: All PGMA’s achievements are significant for me. She is a workaholic President and has done so much for our country. The problem is, we seldom read about her achievements.  

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: PGMA’s greatest achievement was Edsa 2. The inept, immoral, kumpare-infested, gestapo-styled PNP headed by Ping; the Johnnie Walker Blue spiked Midnight Cabinet; the Boracay Mansion for a favorite mistress; Stanley Ho’s floating casino-restaurant; B&W resources; the Muslim Foundation scam; and Goy-JV’s haughtiness were terminated in a single stroke. Imagine if Erap completed his six-year term, and global recession happened! Surely, RP would have gone on a death keel. Thank you, PGMA!  

Social services

Mae-Anne dela Cruz, Nueva Ecija: PGMA initiated health programs for the welfare and benefit of OFWs. She also fulfilled the dreams of our World War II veterans to claim their benefits.  

Mary Grace Ordanes, Nueva Ecija: Every achievement is significant, no matter how big or small. The GMA administration achieved much through public service projects, which includes establishing schools and buildings; providing farm-to-market roads, water supply and electricity to countless barangays; building roads and bridges; and increasing the salary of state workers.  

Lovely Anne de Asis, Nueva Ecija: The single most significant achievement of PGMA is housing for the poor and PhilHealth.  

Jomar Nazar, Nueva Ecija: It is the promotion of health care, by giving hospital assistance and PhilHealth cards to the needy, and the passing of the Cheaper Medicines Act, which enables poor Filipinos to afford their much-needed medicine.  

Economic progress

Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City: The sturdy economy of the land, which was laid down through unpopular tax policies, is the single biggest accomplishment of the PGMA administration. The consistent growth of the economy through the years was achieved by the PGMA administration despite media attacks on its speculative governance. The Philippine economy enjoyed a very fruitful season during the PGMA administration despite a maliciously coined issue of moral bankruptcy.  

Rex Barbin, Sorsogon City: With GMA at the helm, our country has achieved significant economic growth.

Rubilyn Rautraut, Nueva Ecija: As a practicing economist, her biggest achievement is the growth of the economy. As we all noticed, the peso to dollar exchange rate improved. The GDP also increased to its highest rate ever.  

Jhameson Angeles, Nueva Ecija: The most significant achievement of the PGMA administration is doing our economy good.  

Roelle Anne Yambot, Nueva Ecija: I can say that the most significant of GMA’s achievements is the progress our economy made during her term. Even though she faced a lot of controversies, these did not hinder her from pursuing her goal. I personally admire her for her intelligence.  

Let’s check the last SONA

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Let us recount the last SONA of PGMA to find if there is a single achievement. 1. The prices of oil and power, coupled with VAT, push people to their graves. 2. More subsidies set. But who pays for the subsidy on electricity? Worse, we are charged VAT when we help the poor! 3. CARP was extended despite its failure and its being disadvantageous to landowners. 4. The anti-graft law was supposed to get more teeth, but we had cases like the Joc-joc Bolante case, the ZTE scam, wealth-hiding abroad, and lavish parties. 5. The Consumer Protection Act was pushed, but we had not only high oil prices but also informal rationing of gasoline.  

Computerized elections

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: Though numerous, the upcoming computerized national elections will be the crowning glory of her achievements. A dream will come true.

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