ShareThisMANILA (PilipinasNews) – President Aquino declared the country is back in business, adding that confidence in the country has already returned among foreign investors and the locals themselves.
The President described Thursday his first 100 days in the office and enumerated the accomplishments his administration has made in the past three months since assuming office last June 30.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino (C) speaks next to selected participants of a town-hall style meeting at a school auditorium in Manila on October 7, 2010.President Benigno Aquino said October 7, his 100 day-old "war on corruption" has restored business confidence in the Philippines, yielding tens of thousands of new jobs and better economic growth prospects. AFP PHOTO/TED ALJIBE/POOL (Photo credit should read TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images)
Aquino made the report as nearly seven out of 10 Filipinos gave him a good starting score for his first 100 days in office despite a botched hostage crisis and the “jueteng” controversy.
A survery found 69 percent of respondents across all geographical areas and sectors satisfied with the Aquino administration’s initial performance, against the 31 percent dissatisfied.
President Aquino also scored high net satisfaction ratings (percent satisfied less percent dissatisfied) in 10 out of 15 issues tested in the survey.
The policy against the use of “wang-wang” or sirens on the road earned for President Aquino the highest satisfaction rating of +82. He was also rated highly for ensuring transparency (+74) and fighting graft and corruption (+52).
Among those he highlighted are the strengthening of the economy and the interest of foreign investors to put their money in the Philippines.
He also said the public coffers is also improving and this will help the country rise from poverty.
“Our point here: Nobody will be left behind. We will not allow that only few will become rich while many others are being drowned into poverty,” the President said.
With the effort to go after corrupt individuals, including smugglers and tax evaders, Mr. Aquino said that the Philippines is now earning the confidence from all over the world.
Aquino said he is more determined to work harder to fulfill his promise of an honest government and a decent life for every Filipino.
In his report on his first 100 days in office, the President said the trust the people have given his administration has inspired him to achieve more.
“Hinding-hindi po tayo titigil sa tuwid na landas. Unti-unti na pong natupad ang ating mga pangarap (We will not stop to take the right path. Our dreams are slowly taking shape; our goals are slowly being achieved),” the President said.
He said his determination to rid the bureaucracy of corruption is paying off — business confidence is back and the economy is stronger.
Among the great strides he took in his first 100 days included the issuance of Executive Order No. 7 ordering the suspension of all privileges of officials of 122 government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financial institutions that resulted in savings of P2.5 million.
The Philippines’ winning the case on the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 also saved the government P43.4 billion, he said.
The President’s order to stop negotiated contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the re-bidding of urgently-needed projects also saved the government P934.1 million.
Aquino said his order to defer the purchase of a helicopter for the Department of Defense due to allegations that it favors one company allowed the government to set aside P3.6 billion.
The President said he has ordered a thorough study on the P18.5 billion Laguna de Bay project to avoid waste of money.
The Chief Executive noted that weather forecasting has improved from the every-six-hour update to an hourly, more focused weather update when he ordered the change in the stewardship of the country’s weather bureau and saved the government billions of pesos.
“Lahat po iyan naibalik natin sa kaban ng bayan,” the President said adding that the benefits derived from an improved economy will be given back to the people through projects that will uplift their lives
According to the President subsidies for agricultural inputs that made the rich richer and the poor poorer and funds for projects such as the Kalayaan Barangay at Kilos Asenso were transferred to projects that will really benefit the poor.
Some P11 billion were poured into education, health and other pro-poor projects.
The 2011 Reform Budget reflects all of these with the increase in the budget allocation for the Department of Education from P175 billion to P207.3 billion, to build 13,147 new classrooms and hire 10,000 new teachers.
The Department of Health budget increased to P33.3 billion from P29.3 billion so as to strengthen the National Health Insurance program while the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s budget more than doubled from P15.6 billion to P34.3 billion.
The conditional cash transfer program was also strengthened and expanded from one million families to 2.3 million families covered in 2011.
The President stressed that his priority is to create more jobs. He said the $ 2.4 billion in investments he got from his recent US trip will create 43,600 new jobs. And, if the investment climate will be friendlier, more investors will be coming into the country.
President Aquino gained a good rating of +34 both for reducing the budget deficit and investigating officials linked to anomalies, +28 for controlling dengue incidence, while recording moderate ratings in the areas of jobs and livelihood (+14), education (+10), Cabinet appointments (+9), and public-private partnerships (+6).
Meanwhile, about half of Filipinos rated the Aquino administration fairly for its efforts to alleviate poverty and control the spiraling prices of basic commodities.
On the other hand, only 17 percent of respondents were satisfied with the government’s handling of the Manila hostage crisis last August 23 where eight Hong Kong tourists died and which made international news.
President Aquino also acquired poor ratings in curbing the illegal numbers game “jueteng” (-10) and in pursuing peace initiatives with secessionist and extremist groups (-14).
The same survey showed that Filipinos perceive President Aquino’s credibility and simple lifestyle, good governance and strong political will, and fight against graft and corruption as his strongest marks as a leader.
Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) credited this to President Aquino’s unwavering commitment to good and honest leadership as embodied in his campaign slogan “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.”
He added that President Aquino is focused on the work ahead and remains committed to eradicate corruption and alleviate poverty.
Meanwhile, respondents want the Aquino administration to focus on jobs and livelihood (78%), anti-corruption measures (63%), and quality education (59%) in the days ahead.
The PIA poll was fielded nationwide with 629 respondents coming from various sectors, including elected and appointed government officials, business groups, religious leaders, uniformed men, laborers, and members of the media.