Was Prez’s ‘best’ good enough?

IN his over two-hour State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Benigno Aquino said: “I tried my best.” But was his best good enough?

* * * In his six and last SONA, what stuck out like a sore thumb was his fixation of grave-digging the faults and failings of his predecessors, especially Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Video clips of the late dictator on tortures and human rights violations by his military officers were shown. Likewise, former President Arroyo was shown in a pathetic condition, wearing her neck brace.

* * * As in past SONAs, Pres. Aquino blamed the past president for the alleged woes like the MRT’s state of disrepair and numerous problems. He gave the impression that nothing good came from the past administrations and that he was the anointed “Messiah,” the only good president of the Republic of the Philippines, who has slain the dragon of corruption and poverty.

* * * But every president has good accomplishments no matter how bad he or she might have been.

A young SVD priest who worked in Agusan for some years told me about a neglected unfinished highway that stretched for approximately 100 kilometers connecting Trento and Butuan. It was Pres. Arroyo who pushed for its completion.

* * * Since the first contractor and company worked excruciatingly slow and with a dubious intention, she hired a Korean company that finished the project way before the date of completion, from 10 to five years. People around there could not contain their joy after its completion.

* * * On the government’s “Pantawid Gutom” project, that was actually started by the past administration. Many poor housewives preferred the rice grant rather than cash doleout of the present administration. The reason is that after receiving the cash, not a few recipients, especially the men, used it to go drinking or have a good time!

The rice grants really went to the indigents’ much-needed food.

* * * With regard to the President’s boast of his “Daang Matuwid” (Straight Path), people are shaking their heads and smiling wryly. Bishop Arturo Bastes of Sorsogon said that “while Aquino does not steal directly from the government’s coffers, he allegedly uses State funds to influence lawmakers and other officials for questionable objectives.”

* * * Likewise, Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros averred that Aquino’s Daang Matuwid is not really straight because there is still corruption in terms of “bribing senators to impeach Chief Justice (Renato) Corona and legislators to pass the RH (bill).”

Retired Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani agreed with their observation.

* * *

The Secretary General/CEO of the World Evangelical Alliance also lamented the weak leadership of Aquino during the 2013 Zamboanga crisis that prolonged the armed conflict for more than 20 days and in rehabilitating the areas hit by super-typhoon “Yolanda,” among others.

* * * “Some credit should be given to PNoy for the improvement of the economy; however, its effect is not inclusive,” said Bastes. It’s not felt by the masses.

The day after the SONA, the result of the latest SWS survey conducted June 5-8, reveals that selfrated poverty nationwide remains steady at 51 percent.

* * * ST. JUDE. Join us today and pray to St. Jude Thaddeus for your intentions at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary, on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City, after the 6 p.m. Mass.

A healing pray-over and anointing of holy oil will follow.