‘Smoke and mirrors’ government EDITORIAL 09/22/2010

‘Smoke and mirrors’ government

EDITORIAL

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09/22/2010
Transparency was promised by Noynoy Aquino in his presidency. That was the promise, but the reality is that there is no transparency in his administration. Instead, what he and his officials are giving the Filipinos is a “smoke and mirrors” government, as their intention is to deceive.

In Noynoy’s attempt to make his first trip abroad look austere, in comparison to his predecessor’s trips abroad, he and his propagandists claim he will have a very lean delegation — just less than 60, he said, adding that the amount of the trip to the United Nations General Assembly is some $25 million.

Yet what is not stated is the fact that his Cabinet secretaries, along with their staff, are spending for their trip — from their department’s budget. That would certainly up the trip cost to a lot more than $25 million in taxpayers’ money.

Then too, what is also not being stated by Noynoy and his boys is the fact that he had hired a US public relations firm for this trip abroad, which would cost the taxpayers at least another $1 million, or some P45 million.

In exchange for that expensive PR job, what has been lined up for Noynoy are two media interviews, one with the Wall Street Journal, and the other, the New York Times..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100922com1.html