MANILA – Former President Joseph E. Estrada struck back at President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Tuesday after the latter lambasted him and other critics during her final State of the Nation Address (SoNA) before a joint session of Congress a day earlier.
Other figures from the political opposition, the Church and civic society also took potshots at Arroyo for her many alleged lies and failure to ease concerns that she intends to perpetuate herself in power.
In a statement issued to media organizations, Estrada derided Arroyo as someone who was “never a duly elected president” and one who “has stifled so many rights under the Constitution.”
Point by point, Estrada rebutted Arroyo’s claims that she helped lift the Philippines’ economy and bring peace and development throughout the land.
During her SoNA on Monday, Arroyo declared that the “state of our economy is a strong economy.” Estrada rejected this, saying that “Arroyonomics” is “a kind of economics that is out of touch with reality and real facts.”
In fact, he said the Philippine economy, after growing at its peak in 2007, has declined to 3.8 percent in 2008 and may even hit 0 percent growth this 2009. “This is not an indicator of a good economy,” he said.
Estrada said the country’s economy grew at an average of 4.09 percent during Arroyo’s term. “This is much less than my performance of 4.7 percent although slightly better than (President Fidel) Ramos’ average of 3.6 percent and (President Corazon) Aquino’s average of 3.34 percent,” he said.
Estrada said that while the Arroyo administration lowered foreign debt, it increased the national government public debt. “This debt will be more than double by 2010 (from end of 2000). From 2.2 trillion pesos, it will hit a high of 4.5 trillion pesos to 4.75 trillion pesos by the end of June 2010,” he said.
“By 2010, the Arroyo administration’s debts will far exceed the combined borrowings of its (three previous) predecessors by over 2 trillion pesos,’’ he said.
Estrada also disputed Arroyo’s claim that “the country weathered a succession of global crises in fuel, in food.”
He said in reality, hunger rates hit their highest during the Arroyo administration at a record high of 23.7 percent of Filipino households in December 2008.
Estrada also blasted Arroyo’s claim that her administration was responsible for “the largest job creation in history.”
“Based on a UP professor’s research, actual new jobs as of 2009 are not at eight million but at less than six million, way below the 10 million target of this administration,” Estrada said. “Further, decent jobs in manufacturing have continued to disappear while more part-time, less secure jobs were created,” he added.
Estrada said he was greatly offended when Arroyo directly alluded to him in her speech. In that speech, Arroyo said: “Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime. We can read their frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they blew it by serving themselves. Those who live in glass houses should cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there.”
In response, Estrada said there has been no other government in Philippine history “whose shortcomings can compare to the sins of the Arroyo administration.”
Meanwhile, Estrada’s son, Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada called on the Senate to be vigilant against any attempts by Arroyo to stay in power beyond her mandated term in June 2010.
“Mrs. Arroyo used her last state of the nation address not to say farewell to the Filipino people. Neither did she express clearly any agenda of transition to a new administration when her term expires next year,” Jinggoy said.
“Instead, we heard her say in cryptic terms that she never expressed the desire to extend herself beyond her term but we did not hear her categorically say that she is stepping down when her term expires on June 30, 2010,” he said.
Jinggoy said the observation that is shared by many, including senators, is that her final speech created an “atmosphere of instability.” – SG