The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in the Philippines is evidence that if the government’s priorities are right, it can accomplish or do important and difficult tasks. Case in point is the way the government spruced up Metro Manila in preparation for the arrival of the international delegates attending the summit, which included world leaders and chief executives of private enterprise.
While the beautification measures employed by the government were a bit dodgy and rushed, it was still a demonstration that if the government had enough motivation, they can do things in a short span of time.
Wrong priorities and lack of vision on display during the Manila APEC summit.
(Photo source: PhilStar)
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The answer to those questions is simple. BS Aquino’s priorities were wrong from the very start. Because BS Aquino was just forced by his own party mates to run for the Presidency due to his popularity after his mother’s death, it meant he had no vision and plan for the country. He became more of a reactive administrator than a proactive one. From Day One of his term, his single priority was to get rid of the people he considers to be his political enemies.
The true reasons behind his motivations are unclear but BS Aquino acted like he had an axe to grind and someone who is suffering from tunnel vision. In his first year in office, he did everything to detain former President Gloria Arroyo including conduct a trial-by-media and violate the law one of which is the right to presumption of innocence. Even after the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled that Arroyo’s detention is arbitrary and illegal under international law, he still continues to talk about her alleged crimes as if she had already been convicted. His speeches, including his speech at the opening of the APEC summit in front of foreign delegates, are not complete without the now-customary blame-Arroyo clauses.
After he succeeded in effecting Arroyo’s arbitrary detention in his second year in office, BS Aquino worked on removing former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona based on trumped-up charges. In the eyes of BS Aquino, if you were appointed by Arroyo, you are an enemy. While his removal may seem like quite an accomplishment to the gullible crowd, it was not what it seems. If it hadn’t been for the bribes in the guise of Priority Development Assistance Funds and what was later known as Disbursement Acceleration Program he gave to members of Congress who impeached and removed Corona, BS Aquino would not have been successful in removing Corona. In other words, had the members of Congress followed the rule book and were not in cahoots with the President, Corona would still be Chief Justice today and BS Aquino would have been properly disciplined. Instead, since he got what he wanted, he continued and still continues to act like a spoiled brat as a consequence.
BS Aquino acting like a spoiled brat is evident in the way he treats the Philippines like his own personal fiefdom and the Filipino people like his own subjects. Only in the Philippines can someone like BS Aquino get away with cancelling flights and declaring no-school and no-work for four days without giving people compensation for missing out on their activities and responsibilities. Some businesses lost revenue because they were forced to shut down their operation for the event. Some people had to walk for five hours just to get home because some roads were closed and exclusively dedicated to the VIP delegates of the APEC summit. What kind of leader would put his own people through hell this way? Only someone as inconsiderate as BS Aquino.
It is quite apparent that BS Aquino still has the strong support of Congress. It’s no surprise because the leaders of both the House of Representatives and Senate belong to the President’s Liberal Party. The President also has a lot of allies in the private sector. With their support, just imagine: if BS Aquino channeled his energy into fixing the infrastructure and beautifying the country particularly the capital city from the very beginning of his term instead of vilifying his enemies, he could have accomplished a lot. Filipinos could have been enjoying better public transport system and better roads. With political will applied to the right priorities, the country could have improved immensely in just six years. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, he didn’t have a clear vision for the country.
President BS Aquino: Focused on persecuting his enemies instead of fixing essential infrastructure
As mentioned in my previous article, not a lot of trade deals could materialise as outcomes of the APEC summit. The traffic congestion would serve as a warning to investors that something is not right in the transport system in the country. It means it cannot handle the normal capacity of commuters and motorists moving through the city. True enough; BBC News published a report announcing that Manila was recently voted the worst city on Earth to drive in. This is bad for business because it can mean delays and loss of productivity and, eventually, loss of income.
Amidst the pomp and pageantry of the APEC summit hangs the irony that the BS Aquino government doesn’t want anyone to highlight – that while the summit aims to encourage entrepreneurship, small and big businesses suffered losses during the event. It is quite odd how BS Aquino’s economic advisers didn’t foresee that happening. He must be surrounded by a bunch of “yes” men.
It is really such a shame that BS Aquino was voted into office. His term was a waste of people’s time and resources.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
but still ,all for show. we all know the only “economic growth” this president is tasked in upholding is for the oligarchs holding his leash.
PNoy campaign slogan “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap” is INCOMPLETE or “bitin”. Did PNoy actually mentioned how to successfully eradicate corruption in our society?
Subjecting CGMArroyo, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla into Trial by media/under detention, behind bars/serve Jail term, will not really stop or eradicate graft & corruption especially when PNoy style of selective justice.
incompetence is also corruption
“Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap” by BS Aquino
“Corruption in my definition is the product of an IDLE or LAZY Mind(AMPAW) selfishness/greed and materialism because corrupt people/Leaders do not realize the consequence of pocketing public funds, receiving bribes, or harass and extort money from innocent & law abiding people. Money should be circulated around to create more business opportunities, employment, expenditures, to fuel the economy and is not meant to enrich themselves or to hold on to power.” by Dale Gozar
KALAWANG na mga ISIP ng mga tao dahil sa:
1. Kung hinde Tamad (rich or spoiled by religion/society) easy job, easy money, easy life
2. Walang magawa, hinde abala at walang magandang nangyayari sa buhay/paligid/Lipunan/Bansa nya.
Time flies, whether you’re wasting it or not. Regret for wasted time is more wasted time. When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection.
Pride is nothing more than false courage without long term solutions.
Top agenda of this year’s APEC is strengthening the MSMes. I wonder how will NoyNoy Corp materialize resolutions when oligarchic interests are in place.
How can you make someone understands
A cluster-f**k of monumental proportions! These guys had (what), three years to get their s**t squared away and this is the best they could come up with? Its bad enough the student government, true to form, has taken the “F**k the people” attitude and decided to let a group of Kindergarten kids plan this. No. The worst part is there are people who are actually defending this madness! I think its great that all the APEC leaders are here but you know as well as I that the ONLY business that the Philippines will get out of this is new places to send OFWs. APEC countries aren’t going to open up shop here. Contract terminations, cancellations, the outright theft of an airport terminal, etc, shows loud and clear why the Philippines is NOT business friendly. Its sad really when you think about it. You invite all these people to your house in hopes of getting them to do business with you but instead, they use it as a means to network with each other in order to do business elsewhere.
was this president really so petty so as not to use subic as the host area because clark airport was formerly macapagal airport? he would rather inconvenience the capital than hold somewhere sensible and not waste money for the vacation of the undesirables in the streets?
the same way they couldnt be bothered to maintain the mrt properly?
This shows how greedy Imperial Manila is. They want everything in NCR. Capital,Entertainment Industries, Large Factories. They all want it for themselves and not distributing it on other regions, that’s why everyday is always a clusterfuck in here. Now everyone will suffer from any activity being held.
Is that a “Daang Matuwid” (long straight path cleared of nuisance Pinoy vehicles) with “Wang Wang” (Siren for VIPs) police motorcycles I see in the picture?
What an ironic turn of slogans for the closing days of this presidency 🙁
>>The traffic congestion would serve as a warning to investors that something is not right in the transport system in the country.
It’s also a call for foreign investors to pour money into our pathetic public transport system – only for them to get surprise! surprise! –> we have a 60/40 rule by the way (NoyNoy grinning hehehe: SYTYSSH = so you think you’re so smart huh?)
Madami ang na-uto/naloko sa “Tuwid na Daan”. APEC was held before in Subic. It was successful then. The govt just needs to renovate the place which i think i less than on what they have spent this year without paralyzing metro manila.
Subic has the potential to become a hub but the president has other agenda. I grew up in Manila but it should have been de-congested more than a decade ago. Now is the high time to develop Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Bulacan etc.
The problem with our government is that nation building and public service is just a front. Everything is politics.
PH can become great but i guess not in our lifetime.
Can we just all hope for the best???
Nope. Just always doing that will not change anything. It equates to saying “bahala na.” Say, a person throws a plastic cup on the sidewalk, you say “let’s hope for the best” instead of telling the other person to pick it up again or you do it yourself, what do you think will create a better result. And this is just a simple example.
Whether you believe it or not, Gloria Arroyo DID commit those crimes for which she should be tried. Likewise with anyone else who betrays the public trust. That the 3 senators are undergoing trial for plunder is because of the evidence. The SC granted bail to Enrile due to his age and health, not because of his innocence. It’s all based in probable cause. Regardless of your obvious dislike for president Aquino, the achievements of his administration is undeniable as acknowledged by learned and prestigious entities and individuals. Unemployment is at its lowest in years. The inflation had been at half per cent for more than a month? 600% increase in foreign direct investment? Interest rate on borrowing averaging 7%? Investment grade? These are just a few of the realities our economy is experiencing. The long term beneficial effects of hosting the APEC are worth the measvuers and sacrifices. I’d rather believe in the results and the recognition from global agencies who echo the positive results than in your destructive rant. Get Real has yet to say anything positive about government. You have something in common with leftist groups.
“I’d rather believe in the results and the recognition from global agencies who echo the positive results than in your destructive rant…”
The only global agencies that actually said something about this administration are news agencies with nothing good to say about this administration.
“Get Real has yet to say anything positive about government…”
You think? =)
Now you’re a judge and jury at the same time. Nothing has been proven, no formal case has been filed and tried. Get real as well all the seemingly economic boosts this nation is getting are from the economic reforms done during the time of former PGMA …NOT BSAIII who has a proven tendency to grab credit. Sacrifice my ass, common FIlipinos were forcibly subjected to hardships by its own government …for what? To look good in the eyes of its international audience. I am positive that HELL will come knocking at the door of BSAII and LP in the near future. FOR ALL THE THINGS BSAIII said in 2010 to the present I consider them ALL PRETENSES because I am a Filipino, I live within his government, I am a taxpayer who do not get his due public service from his government, and I am no longer just hoping for the best. MY voice is small but I think my thoughts are the same with countless other FIlipinos who are tired of BSAIII governance.
No, the same thing that happened to GMA will happen to Aquino ! He will be ‘PERSECUTED’ in the press and maybe even try to hop in a wheelchair to make a run for the nearest International border, BUT it will all be much ado about NOTHING. The press will gradually let the story die, the people’s nonexistent angst will evaporate, Aquino (just like GMA and E-RAP) will lose nothing but a little face. That is what will happen, there will be no ‘Hell knocking at the door’, because you and others just like you keep falling for the same bull-shit story over and over again…..and any sane person would think that you, and people like you, would be aware of the fact that nothing is ever done by ‘Blue-Ribbon’ Senators or SC justices and all the blustery headlines are just a bull-shit story that masks what is really going on.
Take for example Corona’s ‘TRIAL’, he lost NOTHING and what was really going on? THE DAP SCANDAL WAS RAPING THE TREASURY WHILE IDIOTS LIKE YOU WERE SCREAMING ABOUT THE ‘POOR VILIFIED CJSC’ AS IF ANYTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO THE GUY BESIDES FAKING A HEART-ATTACK IN AN ATTEMPT TO WIN AN ACADEMY-AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SCAM TRIAL IN THE FAIL-IPPINES.
WAKE UP….
You have your opinion as I. Very apt name you took, Sam the Sham or were you just describing yourself. We may be idiots to you but we have hope and faith that this nation will one day rise up and make things better for all Filipinos. It takes discipline and that’s something us idiots will need to learn, believe in and make a staple in our lives. SO join us idiots in that hope and faith Sam the Sham.
Okay, Metro Manila was spruced up. The Squatter shanties, were covered up; all eyesores were swept under the rug.
Metro Manila is now clean. Until, the next flood. Or, after the APEC delegates left…back to normal:throwing away garbage, everywhere. The cover of the squatters, are torn down…the squatter children are back in the streets.
And the “Gates of Hell” is opened once more…
yep.just like the last 50 years.
Sana matapos na ang administrasyong ito, what do you expect from a bunch of people born with a golden spoon, they have no sympathy for the poor naturally, who suffers constantly whoever is in power. Where are these people during most of the country’s turbulent years? They are safe abroad, then in time of peace they return and prosper, we remain poor.
This guy’s choice of priorities is just incomprehensible. For example, exchanging the SAF44 eventS (arrival & anniversary) for a friend’s wedding and a business meeting with the bigwigs of a motor company. Wala pang bayag… amp…
@el agila…you’re back?? where you’ve been?? there always two sides to a story and you have been selectively reading the government side and you have the gall to come in here and give us numbers that do not reflect an iota of truth in real life…let’s say your numbers are indeed for real..let’s minus the loss of revenue that traffic in metro manila causes everyday..balanse ba? if your numbers are real, is it trickling down to where they are needed? i have a third grade daughter in public school and since first grade i have not seen a single textbook in her bag…balanse ba? nakakaabot ba sa mahihirap ung mga numero mo? nakakain ba yang numero mo? give me some tangible facts not just numbers pulled out from thin air..puro kayo magic eh!!!
Filipinos always seem to do that or they do that in other cities as well. The place is trashed with garbage everywhere, rampant poverty, and begging street kids year round. As soon as someone like the Pope comes, they scramble to “clean it up” to project an “image” rather than just build a nice society that everyone can be proud of year round, citizens included.
It’s a sad that most of his aims are pointed and displayed to the public. Then again why do we have to vote for someone that wants to continue his legacy?