This column joins the rest of the grief-stricken country in mourning the loss of our beloved former President Cory. As we pray for the eternal repose of her soul, we also pray for the country which is now bereft of someone whose gentle presence inspired Filipinos to continue the struggle for renewal and reform in the country. The loss is keenly felt at this time when our democratic institutions are threatened, our public administration system blatantly corrupted, and the values of our society increasingly debased.

Even as we pray for Cory, we need to pray harder for this country to whom she gave her unconditional love.

Belying the claims of SONA. Immediately after the president delivered her final SONA last Monday, the airwaves, television screens and print media were flooded with sharp reactions and critiques.

Many of the criticisms were focused on the claims about the economy, as well as selective use of statistics. For example the SONA boasted that the foreign debt was already “exorcised”. The speech writer forgot that to exorcise means to expel or drive away completely. The foreign debt of the Philippines is still very much around at Ph1.857 trillion. Worse, over Ph 1 trillion of the debt is in bonds. Unlike bilateral and multilateral debt, bonds are fixed term debts which have to be paid on time, whether a country has money or not. They cannot be bargained and negotiated.

The claim of a strong fiscal position is belied by actual statistics. No less than the Development Budget Coordinating Committee has projected the deficit for 2009 to reach Ph 250 billion. As of June, the deficit has been officially reported at Ph 153 billion.. This deficit level can hardly be described as a strong fiscal position!

As for growth, the gross domestic product (GDP) has been decelerating. The first quarter growth for 2009 is at a dangerous .4%. The government is predicting 0.8 to 1.8%growth for 2009, even as the World Bank is predicting –0.5, the IMF is projecting –1.0, and Moody’s is calculating –0.6.

The SONA boasts of 33 straight quarters of growth. Critics answer that under the President, the country suffered 33 straight quarters of poverty! Everyone knows that what is important about growth is how it is distributed.

Poverty as an accomplishment? The SONA proudly claimed that self-rated poverty is at 47%. Announcing that nearly one-half of Filipinos rated themselves as poor is not something to brag about! It should be a source of embarrassment and shame.

Official poverty statistics reveal that as of 2006, 32.9% or 27.6 million Filipinos live in poverty. The numbers must have drastically increased since then because of the global financial crisis.

Flooding after SONA. How about the claims on flood control? The SONA reports that “mga river basins in Mindanao” have been attended to. As if to belie such boasts, nature let loose a torrent of floods in Mindanao a few days after the speech. Television cameras graphically captured images of massive flooding in Zamboanga, Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sarangani.

Pictures of rampaging waters carrying away houses, people and livestock dramatically belied the claim that floods are now under control.

SONA, fashion and poverty. The SONA has always been considered as an opportunity for members of both houses of Congress and their spouses to display their fashion sense or the lack of it. The gowns displayed by the ladies are faithfully reported by the press, including their hair styles, shoes, bags, jewelry and even the color of their fingernails. Of course, the gentlemen do not allow themselves to be outdone as they show
off their expensive barongs, flash their fabulous watches and strut around in their designer shoes.

There seems to be a correlation between the state of the economy and the fashion excesses of the ladies and gentlemen of Congress. As the economy deteriorates, fashion during SONA becomes more elaborate and expensive. However, all of these happen under the glaring eye of the TV camera and the photographers’ flashbulbs. And the thousands shivering in the rain outside the gate of Congress see it all.

There is also a correlation between the expensive gowns of the ladies and the state of poverty in their congressional districts. The spouse of one of the poorest provinces in the country was draped in an expensive designer gown. There are municipalities in this province which don’t have electricity. The poorer the province, the more eleborate and expensive the gowns of the congressional spouse!

The Philippines as U.S. vassal

After months of trying to get an official invitation to the United States, the president finally got one. She flew off, escorted by more than a dozen congressmen and their spouses, some senators, and other assorted hangers on.

She was able to wrangle a 45-minute meeting. For all her efforts, the Philippines was named U.S. Coordinating Country for ASEAN. What does this mean for an independent country like the Philippines? Are our interests so identical that we can coordinate in behalf of the U.S.? And how will the ASEAN countries react to our “coordination” efforts?

 I thought we had an independent foreign policy!