Parting shots EDITORIAL 06/27/2010

Parting shots

EDITORIAL Click to enlarge 06/27/2010 Gloria delivered what can be said as one of her shortest speeches delivered to write finish to her nine years of a presidency that most Filipinos never supported nor wanted. It was safe and dull, and relatively modest, compared to her other previous speeches which seemed to take her to a different land and which the listeners are left dumbfounded on her supposed achievement on what country she is talking about. The speech was more of trying not to rile her successors while and at the same time spell out what can pass off as extolling during her unusually long stay in Malacañang. And of course, all of it was not believable because it was all lies or at best, half-truths. The entire speech was a half truth even, because the most memorable periods during Gloria’s nine-year reign were the scandals and corruption issues but not a word of it was said in her five-minute attempt at face-saving. It was also a futile attempt at statesmanship and extending a hand of peace to the incoming Aquino administration: “We must always set our sights on the future and keep an eye on improving our economy, investing in people, and building bridges. Not just bridges of iron and steel, but bridges between people, generations and governments.” Her record in economic management, however, betrays the fact Gloria did not practice what she is now preaching. Invest in people she never did since the basic policy on Filipinos during the nine years she was in power was to have them exported and repatriate their earnings to keep the economy afloat. It was a policy to escape economic responsibility since the more Filipinos are sent abroad to work, the less problems Gloria had in the local employment front and, of course, at the same time she expects money to flow since most Filipinos work abroad not as a career option but to temporarily sustain a family.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100627com1.html

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