End to poverty and corruption top citizens' SONA wish list
MANILA, Philippines - Bayan Patrollers want freedom from poverty and corruption, a government that serves them, and a chance to improve their lot – possibly mirroring what typical Filipinos would say out loud if they had the chance to tell President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III what they wanted to hear in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday.
The wishes came from at least 550 citizens who responded to a question posed by Bayan Mo, iPatrol Mo: Ako ang Simula (BMPM), the citizen journalism project of ABS-CBN.
The question, “Anong gusto mong marinig sa State of the Nation Address ni Pangulong Aquino?” sought from citizens what about their livelihood or their community they wished would be addressed when Aquino delivers his SONA for the first time.
Presidents have traditionally outlined programs and legislative agenda when they delivered their SONA every last Monday of July, the Constitutionally-mandated opening of Congress sessions yearly.
BMPM posted this question July 16 on its site (bmpm.abs-cbnnews.com), and on its accounts on Facebook (facebook.com/bayanmoipatrolmo.akoangsimula) and Twitter (twitter.com/bayanmo). BMPM gathered citizens’ responses a week after and ranked these according to volume.
Topping the list of citizens’ wishes were those related to being freed from poverty. Most mentioned problems were the lack of jobs, the need to improve people’s standards of living, and the need to improve provisions for water and electricity.
In the BMPM’s site , job-related issues comprised 8 of 15 responses. Four of the 15 talked about the need to increase take-home pays. Several others tackled job security and the need to stamp out corruption.
Coming in second among citizens’ top 10 wishes was to rid government agencies of corruption.
The need for better health program and benefits came in third, while discipline and efficiency among state workers ranked fourth.
Education – improving its quality and making it available for more people, especially those in the far-flung areas – was fifth.
Bulk of the citizens responded by texting to BMPM’s SMS/ MMS number 2366, while the rest came through emails to ireport@abs-cbn.com, BMPM staff’s Facebook accounts and Twitter.
The complete list of citizens’ wishes follows:
1. Freedom from poverty (solutions to jobs problem, water and electricity crises)
2. End to corruption
3. Better health program and benefits
4. Discipline and efficiency among state workers
5. Education (Improving quality and equal opportunity for everyone, especially those in the far-flung areas)
6. Caring for the environment (Program on climate change)
7. Crime Prevention (Peace and order)
8. Improvement/ upgrade of infrastructures and technology, road projects, government facilities
9. Overseas Filipino workers' situation (security and benefits, lower taxes)
10. Agriculture (program for small farmers, land reform)
* The author is former BMPM head, now editor of tvpatrol.abs-cbnnews.com
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SONA state of the nation address. simple as that. if common sense is used those are problems that should be taking cared of. gusto ninyo banggitin lahat masyadong matalino.
SONA
If Penoy really has a case against the "anomalies" of the past administration, why can't he have balls to file it in court and start to walk the talk. Is it because he is trying to play with people's emotion regarding these unfounded issues. Is it because mas ok. kung paglalaruan muna ito sa Media?
We have other venues to air these accuations real or contrive.
Who doesn't want to hear a clear vision and plan for the Philippines and its people. Who doesn't want to hear his President taking action instead of complaining. Who doesn't want to have a President who studies legitimate issues of the country and finding solutions to problems besetting our Nation. Who doesn't want to hear a clear Macro economic Plan for the Philippines instead of these endless hype of accusations and blaming.
There are alot of things that is worth doing and there are far more interesting issues and subjects he should have concentrated on during the SONA.
We need a leader who inspire not someone who most of the time makes enimies when he opens his mouth, like a hen on the verge of laying eggs.
What's so disappointing with the SONA (SANA)
What's so disappointing with the SONA (SANA)
The people deserve a clear blue print of the Presidents plan for the country as the head of the State. However, it turned out that the first SONA of penoy was nothing but a repeat of his rhetoric during the election period. It lack direction and content. There is really nothing said to be explosive with his SONA not even a clear road map on polies and action plan from the government was mentioned.
The SONA sana naging may saysay only if Penoy have chosen to discuss what his administration action plans, focus and clear blue print of what his administration would be doing for the coming years.
The play safe chooses not to discuss his stand to the following issues:
-His stand to Reproductive Health Bill
- The plans he has to address the Balloning budget deficit
- The plight of our migrant workers
- Victims of extra-judicial killings
- Education
-Health
-Security of employment
- The agrarian reform program
-Climate change
There was no mention of concrete plans to address the problem of fiscal deficit. Instead Penoy focuses on blaming the administration of its misdeeds instead of presenting concrete solutions to our people. What Penoy delivered yesterday was his proposals that are virtually hanging in the air.
What do you expect from a Leader who doesn't understand the simple logic of the separation of judiciary and the executive branch. How many times ba siyang makukuryente ant mapapahiya para magisip-isip siya bago nya buksan yung bibig nya.
What we heard from his SONA was nothing but a litany of his reklamos and blame game.
ALL OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT
WE MUST HELP EACH OTHER TO MAKE THESE COME TRUE IN 6 YRS. WITHOUT YOUR HELP YOU CANNOT EXPECT THE CHANGES.
Priorities
I would have numbers 8 and 10 (infrastructure and agriculture/land reform) much higher on the list. The environment should be lower. I suspect these 'flaws' are due to the majority of the respondents being city dwellers.
Agriculture is the number one employer in the Philippines. More and better infrastructure would improve water and electricity supplies, and would allow for easier, cheaper, and faster transport of goods as well as the storage of goods; this would encourage more investment which in turn would lead to a lot more jobs. Priority Number 1 is heavily reliant on what the respondents thought were Numbers 8 and 10.
The Philippines does have a problem with deforestation. Whether or not existing mines are really such bad polluters is debatable. However, the Philippines can be the greenest country on Earth and that would not affect changing monsoons seasons or the severity of typhoons without other countries also changing their environmental policies, so it would be better for the Philippines to focus on economic development rather than maintaining a pristine, unblemished environment.
OFW's in Iraq
Sir, is the travel ban even constitutional? We know we cannot always leave it to the State as far as our individual economic welfare is concerned, but the State has already failed these OFW's, that is why they are there even though the risks are high. They decided and took that leap into the fire just so they can feed their families. Now, the State failed them again with the ban. Some of them have been in Iraq for 6 years for goodness sake! Some who ventured home have to pay for escort service, falling prey to corrupt government officials. What a shame!
It may be worth mentioning here, as there seems to be no other means due to the red tape (yes Sir, I have tried going up the chain) that a lot of embassies of foreign governments are returning to Iraq. This is a good indicator that things are not as risky as a few years back. Another good indicator is the influx of foreign airlines operating flights in Iraq's many airports. Just the other day, Saudi Arabia will resume flights to Iraq. For a number of years now, there have been direct flights to Europe too.
With these positive developments, it is high time that the Philippine government reconsider its travel ban to Iraq. These foreign airlines will facilitate entry of Filipinos with so many points of embarkation points now to Iraq. One other thing, the travel ban is supposed to protect Filipinos when what it only does are 1-breed corruption, 2-rise in the number of undocumented workers, 3- hindering growth and opportunity, 4-denying Pinoys the right to self-determination, and 5-leaving Filipinos without representation in Iraq. Wouldn't it be better instead if the government will task its concerned agencies to do their job? How about coming up with a minimum safeguard for OFW's in conflict zones?
The reality is this, more and more conflict zones will arise, having said this, will the government impose a ban on all of these up and coming conflict zones (ever heard of the Gulf of Aden where more Pinoys got kidnapped than in Iraq, why not ban that vast body of water from Pinoys)? This sweeping and inconsiderate action will definitely restrict Filipinos and deny them of opportunities.
The DFA can have an embassy staff trained on security and dedicate him/her to doing security assessments and liaison with security agencies of the host country. Please don't get in to that lack of budget thing, after all OFW's are the modern-day heroes, right? If so, don't they deserve only the best that the government can do, if not, then the hero tag is just lip service!
Further, the DOLE can have its labor attache also trained on security so he can require and review an employer's personnel security program and its risk mitigation and emergency preparedness plan, then there will be periodic audit of these programs and plans.
Likewise, have OFW's deploying into conflict zones go through a risk awareness and safety program so that Security will be inculcated in them. Having been trained, the OFW's can report to the labor attache if there are any violations in the security and safety program of their employer, which could be a ground for breach of contract (as per agreed during the labor attache's employer accreditation process). Then there is that war insurance currently in place.
Summing it up, these are doable measures and could really be construed as "protection" for our modern-day Heroes, not the current "protection by ban." Or may be I am just imagining things because surely our government officials would have thought of these already, but then again, may be considered them not worth doing at all? How about the Aquino government, why not give it a shot? If not, tens of thousands of Pinoys will soon be coming home and their families will go hungry!