Arroyo Legacy

This is serious because under the Constitution (which Arroyo is not fond of) education is a fundamental right – “The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.”

Murder of journalists

Philippines is the certified most dangerous place for journalists.  Practically, the whole issue here is that killing of media workers in the Philippines has been continuing while the government is doing inadequate measures to stop them.  And, this is quite serious because as the 2010 elections draw close, the number of journalists to be murdered particularly in the provinces is expected to even rise. 

From 2001, when Arroyo came to power, until February 2009 alone, the count of slain journalists was 78 more than the number of murdered of media workers during the Marcos dictatorship.  And, Maguindanao massacre – perpetrated by an Arroyo political ally — in November 2009 caused the most number of deaths of media people in a single day.

Damaged political institutions, crumbling economy

In the last nine years, what has happened to our government and its machineries?

At least five prevailing trends are noticeable.  First, the military has been transformed into an institution for the preservation of personal power by the president.  Second, corruption is entrenched at the highest levels of power.  Third, the Philippine political and economic institutions have been manipulated and undermined in the quest for maintaining power.  Fourth, extrajudicial killings were perpetrated, involuntary disappearances were enforced, and crimes against the people especially the democratic opposition have been committed.  And, fifth, foreign policy that was bent on getting international support for an unpopular regime was embarked on.

Similarly, economists are saying that Arroyo – an economist herself – actually wasted its nine years in power by not putting in place an economic program.  Of course, Arroyo had her Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) 2004-2010, which aims to accomplish the “aspirational” targets set by the president’s 2001 State of the Nation Address.

To date, however, Arroyo is still hard-pressed in claiming any meaningful economic achievements particularly those that are of really essential to most Filipinos.  This doesn’t mean that Arroyo is not claiming any bright spots.  For instance, GDP growth during Arroyo’s regime (2001-2009) averaged 4.9% compared to Cory Aquino’s (1986-1992) 4.6%, Fidel Ramos’ (1992-1998) 3.1% and Joseph Estrada (1999-2001)3.9%.  But these figures need to be understood in bigger context.

The Philippine population is now 90 million, labor force that is 38 million, and poor people 28 million (which is debatable since the poverty line is pegged by the government at around P42 per person per day).   Given these figures, economists say in unison that there’s a need for radical structural changes to break the inertia of decades of backwardness – which is never done, or failed to be done, by the Arroyo presidency.

Instead, the last nine years saw record joblessness, deteriorating quality of jobs, plummeting household incomes, worsening poverty, un-arrested fiscal crisis, unprecedented debt and debt service, cutbacksin social service – to name just the obvious. 

It would mean then that economic gains have gone to just a few and not been felt by majority of Filipinos. 

How do we start from here, then?

Given the ravage that Arroyo’s regime has done, Filipinos need to be more resolute in opposing attempts by Arroyo to extend its power by all means (including her bid for congressional seat).  Filipinos may similarly actively engage their presidential candidates and push for genuine people’s programs.  During election times, politicians are extraordinarily vulnerable to people’s movements.   We should get the politicians’ commitment to ensure that Arroyo and her cliques are made accountable for public crimes.

For, if there is one thing that Filipinos should work for in 2010 and beyond, it must be a government of public service and a governance by ethics led by transformational leaders.