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Arroyo: Best President that the Philippine has ever known?
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by Babel-Fish | August 1, 2009 at 08:13 pm
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Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Finnishes her term as president next year, she is not allowed to be reelected as per the countries constitution.
Her life as per Wikipedia on line encyclopedia .. (there may be arguments on its validity please do not hold me responsible).
Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (April 5, 1947[1]) is the fourteenth and current president of the Philippines. Arroyo is the country's second female president, and the daughter of late former Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal.
My view as a British Ex-Pat living in the Philippines.
I have a feeling that many Filipino's are really frustrated at the lack of reform. Nothing really seems to done to eradicate poverty and what actions that are taken are tokens only that being the limit of funds spent on the problem it can never be enough.
I feel that who ever is, was or is going to be the leader of this country will always be blamed for bad governance. The problem being is that since the independence of the Philippines from USA. Crooks and corrupt people and families took over the reigns of national and local government.
They have like elsewhere in the world of governance created a system where its hard for the good guys to get into the doorways of power. It said that “The voters of any country deserver’s the government they elect”. But that saying is really flawed as when most of the candidates are corrupt; because they have money and crooked backers the voter’s have very little choice when they vote.
Because the politicians scream out loud the word “CORRUPTION” at anyone that oppose them in achieving their corrupt aims its hard to tell who is not corrupt. The higher the position a person has in government the louder the call of corruption. This leads to a big problem that if a person that is not corrupt actually achieves being the president they have to deal with a corrupt administration and the mud sling of corruption taunts from those that oppose them.
It would be very hard to stop the corruption as whom can you trust, in fact somewhere a long the line you the president may have to out smart the corrupt and that may mean using corrupt methods.
I would for interest state if I was a president that was not really a corrupt person I would try to get the governing system changed to a parliamentary system that would allow the middle class and poor to become politicians and take the power away from the corrupt political clans. GMA has tried to do this and it makes me wonder? Could it be that she is the first president that really wants to eradicate the corruption, give power to the non elitist. Thus rid the country of its corrupt politicians, by opening a door to those that really care about the Philippines. That will show patriotism and a drive for social reforms plus safe guard reforms, against corruption, from top to the bottom of Filipino governance system.
If she is opening a real pathway to better governance, that stamps out corruption and eradicates poverty. Then there is every possibility that she, will be on record as being the best president in Filipino history.
However this factor could go un-noticed because of the slurs of that word “CORRUPTION” that is flung luck mud at non-corrupt as well as the corrupt normally by the very corrupt.
The status quo required by the elite will remain while the elite is in power and the educated middle class and the poorer citizens are not allowed easier access to government positions due to political family empires. In the case of entering the world of politics, a parliamentary system is better. That does not insist on great amounts of money to obtain a seat or corruption. But just a small amount of money as a deposit that can only be lost if one does not receive a minimum number of votes in UK it 1000 votes.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 20:18 on August 1st, 2009
I have seen the Filipino public blinded by propaganda from the elite and political families concerning a parliament option of government. Because they know it would be the beginning and end of their reign in politics as the middle class and less corrupt would gain power in governance.
at 04:07 on August 2nd, 2009
Haha!
The President that made the country the most corrupt in the world!
Editorial
Legacy of corruption
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:09:00 07/28/2009
With President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo due to step down from Malacañang next year, talk has turned to the legacies that she will be leaving. One of the legacies most often mentioned is the legacy of corruption. Ms Arroyo is perceived to be one of the most corrupt presidents the country has ever had. During her incumbency the country has sunk to the depths of corruption, such that Transparency International last year ranked the Philippines 141st in a list of 180 countries.
What has not been written much about is the moral corruption during the Arroyo administration. There is financial corruption where the degree of corruption is measured by the amount of money that people in power amass. The financial corruption during the Arroyo administration, by most accounts, bids well to compete with that of the Marcos dictatorship. But worse than the financial corruption that has been taking place is the moral corruption of the nation.
Read more here:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/editorial/view/20090728-217534/Legacy-of-corruption
at 03:34 on August 3rd, 2009
Actually it was much more corrupt before she took over and its always been corrupt. Its not listed as the most corrupt country in the world.
This of course is propaganda from the opposition.
at 04:11 on August 2nd, 2009
I think that it is the Filipinos themselves who can rightly judge if a president is best to them or not - not a foreigner in the country.
You do us a lot of harm by your skewed judgment.
at 19:39 on August 4th, 2009
what about a foreigner that speaks the language, questions and talks to many people, watches the news and knows whats propaganda and what is not. You can not fob me off that way, as a foreigner and a political analyst I read many reports the following one in Forbes.
Source: forbes.com
There is no harm in correcting propaganda there could be harm by spreading it.
Let say you have picked on the wrong foreigner one that's too wise about politics and the culture of the Philippines.
at 15:46 on August 2nd, 2009
How could she ever be the best President the Philippines has ever known? She routinely sells the country's resources and interests to the highest foreign bidders. Philippine labor is regularly sent out for the enrichment of other countries as she has not done anything to promote local job creation for a talented labor pool. The nation's maritime borders has been considerably streamlined at the expense of the Spratly islands which has always been Philippine sovereign territory since the days of the Spanish colonization. Foreign corporations have been exempt from prosecution for destroying the environment. Women raped by foreigners go unprotected while the culprits are handed over to their embassies without serving their sentences as passed by Philippine courts.
Yes, to a foreigner like you who enjoys all the pleasures of the Philippines as it is served to you on a silver platter by a self-indulgent, self-serving, foreigner-appeasing poor excuse for a Head of State, Mrs. Arroyo, then by your standards, yes she is quite possibly the best president of all time, but to us Filipinos she is no better than her do-nothing father, Diosdado Macapagal who opened the way for a dictator to rise to office, Ferdinand Marcos. This time, however, if the Philippine government switches to a parliamentary system then the next dictator will be Mrs. Arroyo herself who would most likely declare herself a Prime Minister for Life.
That is why it has always been a bad idea to put either an Ilocano or a Pampangan as President of the Philippines.
at 03:48 on August 3rd, 2009
That again is the normal propaganda from the opposition of whom are very corrupt and do not want the senate system change as its can be nothing but a corrupt system. As stated by Plato.
The parliamentary system is not so corrupt and will allow Filipino's that are not from the political rich elitist clans into government. The ordinary folk do need much more say, I really can not see any one of the elitist opposition doing much with out corruption involved. Filipino's have no real choice other than trying to chose the less corrupt politicians into power.
GMA does not want to declare her self as prime minister and in any case the leading party have to vote for a new prime minister. She not interested and such a system will never give her a leading edge.
The politicians that are anti this system are the most corrupt and belong to the most corrupt political clans. They know this system would cull their corruption that's why they do not want this better for the citizen system to be installed. Some of the objections are down right stupid to say the least and really non patriotic.
at 20:16 on August 4th, 2009
Notice the question within the headline!
Actually there are foreign rapist within your prison system, you are of course on about the US soldier rape case that turn out to be a false claim as the plaintive changed her story. The reason the soldier was taken into the embassy was the fact he was a serving member of the US armed forces I think it was wrong but politics were involved. You are using one very outlandish example that does not take into effect that foreigners are convicted of rape and are placed into your prisons.
I am not handed any thing on a silver platter as a foreigner I have to obey Philippine law, there is no backing what so ever from my government if I break the law and if I am not guilty is the only time that my government may try to step in. This is the same process for Filipino living overseas the backing given is on equal par.
A parliamentary system such as the one that has been installed for centuries in my home land is not geared to having presidents for life. In fact what you are saying often happens in countries as it did here when macros was in power, more often in Senate governing systems. So the statement you are making part of the oppositions propaganda is really fear mongering by those that prefer to have the political clans running the show and the status quo on corruption to remain. The Filipino citizen deserve much better than that total reform to rid the country of political clan control. Oposition and those currently in power.....
Your last sentence is fully backed by me yes why not a Ilocano or a Pampangan as President of the Philippines. A parlimentary system would increase the chances of a Ilocano or a Pampangan to be a primeminister and also Ilocano or a Pampangan as a President of the Philippines. That's for sure as the system is not geared to how much money you need to get a seat of power. Where as a senate system is and very corrupt for sure Plato got it right.
I have wrote many articles that are anti-rape and anti-pedophile related I hate to see women exploited by foreigners here in the Philippine. I am also a person who hates propaganda as I like to see the truth as it really is. You will only get the truth from me and if I am wrong I admit it when given the truth to show that I am wrong. .
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at 09:29 on August 3rd, 2009
The best President the Philippines ever had was Ferdinand Marcos.
at 02:46 on August 5th, 2009
Actually those that love a strict regime, are often heard saying that. Jeepney only stopped at official pick up points etc. But those people tend to be foreigners who lived here with in the Marcos rule, and not so many Filipino's. Marco's was put on ice, and has not been buried because of objections of him being made a national hero. Politics are some times comically strange, local or national.
at 11:09 on August 7th, 2009
The best President of the Philippines ever had been Ferdinand Marcos.
You know why because on the time of Marcos he do lots of great thing for the country. I know there are too many bad allegations about Marcos regime but he do only what he had must do. I love democracy but need to be balance too match freedom is not good because people take advantages and are not afraid to do bad crimes and if there was a corruption in the time of Marcos we know there is only one, but Marcos do lots, lots of developments in Philippines.
Since the fall of Marcos regime the country is detorating. There are too many government workers and Politian’s are corrupt, Philippines are getting worse and worse, corruption everywhere every corner. Look how many powerful rich Politian in the Philippines.
I'm also a Pilipino living abroad and I see beautiful nation here in Europe wile the reputation of the Philippines is horrifying. Philippines is not a respected country in the world, while in the time of Ferdinand Marcos, Philippines had become one of the riches country in the world.
Filipinos need discipline no respect to the law, see now too many people just walk on the street even it is red lights they are not afraid. While in the time of Marcos everyone everybody are afraid to crime and less corruption Filipinos don’t like to be afraid, too bad see what happened to us now our country, what the peoples power had done, we paid for our stupidity, poor people and hopeless are use as instrument of corrupted Politian, brain wash as said for hope for better life but on the other hands they pay the high price. Look Singapore less crime but Philippine my God, I'm so ashamed to be a Pilipino, We don’t even have our own International airline no more. How could this thing happen? In the time of Marcos this will never be own by Chinese. No wonder why so many Filipinos are going abroad for better life.
Tell me who President after Marcos had ever done great for country?
at 19:41 on August 8th, 2009
The problem with people power is that corrupt politicians from political clans took advantage of the people. It the same now the opposition is just another group of corrupt political clans trying to get their claws into the cookie jar.
The middle class need a chance of gaining power to shove the crooks out of the seats of power. I really think that a parliamentary system on the lines of UK would achieve just that. But of course the political clan are against it as they want the status quo.
Your government should not effect you being proud of being a Filipino, I know enough about Filipino's to know that the majority are good guys and as honest as the day is long. Wished they could get a chance of running the country and rid the corruption and really do something about poverty.
at 09:52 on August 12th, 2009
Yes that is true what you're saying parliamentary system will do the trick, because a presidential system in Philippines is too horrifying. Parliamentary system, are voted by people chosen parties and the winning party will choose which one will be the priminister unlike presidential system anybody everybody can run for President that is chosen by the stupid people who brainwash by some corrupted Politian.
Also one thing that I don’t like in Philippines is that the Catholic Church, they always interfering with the law of the government in every way and in anyway. I’m too disappointed to the Catholic Church, before in Philippines for heavy crime are punishable by death penalty. The Church interfere that, look now too many rapist and murder on the street because they are not afraid, no dead penalty. No wonder why Italy separated Rome provably due to interfering the law of the government. When I came here in Europe I learn things, the differences and I lost my religion and belief to the church but in my heart I still have faith to God.
at 10:05 on August 12th, 2009
Yes that is true what you're saying parliamentary system will do the trick, because a presidential system in Philippines is too horrifying. Parliamentary system, are voted by people chosen parties and the winning party will choose which one will be the priminister unlike presidential system anybody everybody can run for President that is chosen by the stupid people who brainwash by some corrupted Politian.
Also one thing that I don’t like in Philippines is that the Catholic Church, they always interfering with the law of the government in every way and in anyway. I’m too disappointed to the Catholic Church, before in Philippines for heavy crime are punishable by death penalty. The Church interfere that, look now too many rapist and murder on the street because they are not afraid, no dead penalty. No wonder why Italy separated Rome provably due to interfering the law of the government. When I came here in Europe I learn things, the differences and I lost my religion and belief to the church but in my heart I still have faith to God.
at 00:59 on September 25th, 2009
One problem with many Filipinos is that they can see only in short term basis. The economy is doing great. We are practically not affected by the recession in the US, all thanks to Her Excellency and all her economic plans.Yet, what those hypocrites from the opposition like Loren Legarda said, "numbers cannot remove the hunger of Mang Pandoy". This is how the opposition works. They will downplay the success of the administration by claiming that they weren't able to feed anyone. The job of the government is to create infrastructure and systems that will make it easy for everyone to work and live, however, the actual work and feeding of oneself is an individual responsibility of the citizens. If certain fellows weren't able to eat, they should not blame the government for it especially if that fellow has 10 children and earning less than a hundred pesos.Isn't ironic that some earlier comments are saying that a foreigner has no right to judge the president and yet, they are citing indices claiming that the Philippines is one of the most corrupt, indices tabulated by foreign organizations?Ok, I'm a Filipino too. So I have the right to judge Madamme President. Well... no I don't think she's the best president. She's the second best president. The honor of being the best president, I believe, belongs to President Fidel Ramos.