For all the use of Pilipino and simple language (which should be lauded), President Noynoy Aquino’s State of the Nation Address is a disappointing one. It it a member of the elite talking to the people, promising an honest and clean government. Yet, it is THE problem. The elite–on both sides of the political aisle–have been promising this each time it is in power.
The economic program in the SONA boils down to this: We attract investors, we privatize government assets, and we turn the government to serve the needs of investment and capital. Their investments will produce jobs and poverty will be solved. Yet this is THE problem. The reality is that it is the Big Business–both foreign and local–which benefits from this arrangement. Not the medium and small business. Not, of course, the poor people who cannot begin to pay the astronomical bills profit-oriented and formerly government-controlled services foist on them. Witness the water bill, electricity bill, the toll fee, etc.
Noynoy Aquino expects the policies of the traditional political elite to solve the nation’s and people’s poverty? What it would mean, in reality, is the continued widening–even accelerating–gap between the poverty of the poor and the riches of the rich. His economic advisers are selling him short on this one.
I agree with your opinions on these one. I hope you put some gadget on this blog so that I can share it via facebook. I will try to put one myself on my blog.
MonC: You can always copy the URL above and paste it (by choosing the linking option) in your FB comment. This is a low-tech solution. I’m still studying using a subroutine being offered out there.
A group of OFWs with some savings wants to put up a micro-business, say a parlor/barber shop or bake shop or internet shop. Various national and local govt. bureaucracies require them 3 to 4 dozens of different taxes and regulatory fees every year, excluding the taxes and fees just to start a business. Pres. Noynoy said this is wrong. The number of business regulations should be drastically cut, the procedure in starting a business should be cut from about 8 hrs to only 15 minutes. Is this elitist? I don’t think so. It is pro-small busines, pro-big business. When there are lots of bakeshops, lots of internet shops, lots of parlor/barber shops, lots of food shops, lots of jobs will be created.
I hope PNoy makes the application for the Barangay Micro Business Enterprise Law automatic when we get our licenses. The law authored by Sen. Roxas exempts businesses with less than 3M in capital from taxes. But majority of business owners do not even know about this law. I think the City should help out by making this known to everybody who files an application for a new business. I hope they automatically tell us we are qualified under the law and is therefore tax exempt.
I found P-Noy’s sona to be shallow, and kinda dry. Not very inspiring and less visionary, but boy, he spoke so much like his Dad. Very clear, fast and straight to the point, like hitting bullets. Good luck P-Noy. I still trust you.
there’s nothing much one can say in 30 minutes.
some issues will enevitably be not touched.
however exposing some of the past administrations sleeze is a brilliant move. it delivers a fatal wound to
the arroyo gang who has laid traps to weaken the new government.
the sona of p-noy is nothing,,why..? because he did not explain how to solve the present crisis in our country..no future plans…no foriegn policies especialy in economic..
exposing some of the administration corruption would not help to elevate the poverty in our country,,as a leader i believe he should set an example in moving on..and worked hard to achive his goal for the filipino people.