ABARQUEZ, Anna Fatima S. 4 Psychology-2 Online Paper for ETAR #1 SONA 2011 of Pres. Benigno P-noy Aquino I.

Introduction My Family have been living in our house in Pasig for almost 30 years. That is the house where I grew up and every year we would watch the State of the Nation Address of the current President. After it we would be talking about it and give opinions regardin the SONA. The first thing I noticed was that President Noynoy gave his speech in Filipino Language which is a good thing because the Filipinos who cant understand English would be able to understand his speech and get the message he wants to portray. The second thing he did was to define what wang-wang means. This is the part when he said that it means that these are the abused. I believed that it is a great thing that he used it as a symbol because I am a commuter so everyday I see people riding in expensive cars that uses their sirens so they can show their power over the regular people. This is the simplest form of abuse a regular people can experience from any government official that we encounter daily. Then he proceeded in telling the statistics of the country since his first State of the Nation Address which shows that for the economy it is better than the previous years and the corruptions that we experienced in the past years. I believe we are in the right track but I was expecting more from President Aquino this past year maybe this is due to the fact that when he was campaigning he made many promises that I was hoping he would be able to do when he won as the president but maybe I could give a little more time for him to be able to help the Filipino people rather than run after from every angle the former Pres. Arroyo. I would rather see changes in how the Filipino people live rather than to hear everyday how the former president did this and did that. I would rather see action than talk. I would rather see that the officials of this government to give their time to implementing laws that would help the Filipino people rather than to waste the resources of the goverment just to convict the former president. He is too busy running after the former president than to do something that would help the Filipino rise from poverty. II. Main Body Economic Aquino admin focuses on 5 areas of economic development. On top of the established drivers of growth like semi-conductor and electronics

and business processing outsourcing, emphasis will be on tourism development, agriculture and fisheries development, and general infrastructure. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said this sectoral allocation which is 24.2 percent of the proposed P1.816-trillion National Budget for 2012 will be focused on supporting the governments five priority areas for job generation and economic development. Aquino admin to post highest growth average of 5.3% - ING. Cuyegkeng said the projected GDP growth during the Aquino administration would be fuelled by the industrial sector that is expected to post an average growth of 6.8 percent followed by manufacturing with 6.7 percent, services with 5.2 percent, and the agriculture sector with 2.3 percent. He pointed out that the countrys GDP would expand by 5.2 percent instead of 4.2 percent this year and 5.1 percent next year. Earnings of Phl industries up 7.4% in Q1. Total gross earnings of Philippine industries grew by 7.4 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).The statistical agency said the revenue of transportation and communication accelerated to 9.2 percent in the first quarter from 8.3 percent in 2010. Revenues of manufacturing industry grew by 12.3 percent; real estate, 14.8 percent; trade, 5.5 percent; finance, 7.5 percent; and private services, 4 percent. Employment, on the other hand, picked up by 3.7 percent in the first quarter compared to the one percent in 2010. The moderate growth came from manufacturing, which accelerated to 5.7 percent from 2.4 percent; and private services, which rebounded to a growth of 0.1 percent from negative 6.1 percent. The growth, however, was tempered due to the decline in mining and quarrying by 8.7 percent from a growth of 3.8 percent; and the slowdown in real estate by zero percent from 4.0 percent; finance which grew by 3 percent from 4.3 percent and electricity and water up by 1.2 percent from 1.6 percent. Total compensation of industries posted a lower growth of 5.1 percent from 6.1 percent in the previous year. The compensation in real estate grew by 22.2 percent from 3.1 percent; finance, by 8.7 percent from 3.3 percent and private services, by 6.4 percent from 4.3 percent were offset by the decline in compensation of mining and quarrying by 1.4 percent from a growth of 12.2 percent and the slowdown in manufacturing, which grew by 4.9 percent from 7.2 percent. The total compensation in trade is up by 5.2 percent from 11.2 percent and transportation and communication, which grew by 2.7 percent from 4.3 percent. The total compensation per employee decelerated to 1.4 percent from 5 percent. While real estate and finance rebounded to robust growths of 22.1 percent from negative 0.8 percent and 5.5 percent from negative 0.9 percent, respectively, the growth was pulled down by the decline in manufacturing by 0.8 percent from a 4.7 percent growth. Trade recorded a four-percent growth from 7.8 percent; transportation and communication, up by 3.8 percent from 5.5 percent; and mining and quarrying, up by 7.9 percent from 8.1 percent in 2010.

Political FACTBOX: Key political risks to watch in the Philippines. Six months into power, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III continues to face many old problems: a large budget deficit, endemic corruption, widespread poverty, poor infrastructure and long-running insurgencies. Competing interests among Aquino's supporters, including his family and relatives. There is talk that rival factions are already creating administrative gridlock, which could thwart the reform agenda. Aquino has to move beyond his campaign rhetoric, and start delivering on policy and his legislative agenda. Inaction may erode his support. Pres. Aquino needs to build closer working relations within the court system, which he wants to reform, to garner support for his plans to investigate Arroyo and officials in several unresolved highprofile corruption and rights abuses cases. Without success in improving tax collection, the deficit is unlikely to fall as expected and could widen further. Moves to dismantle the bureaucratic structures that allow corruption to flourish, seen as a key to strengthening revenues. How any new spending in the budget will be funded, and what assumptions the figures are based on. The government was targeting the fastest growth in 35 years in 2011, although it has a more conservative forecast in the budget. Markets would like a rise in tax rates and expansion of the tax base to more sustainably support state spending. Until then, the Philippines is likely to remain plagued by fiscal problems. Evidence showing serious attempts to address root causes of armed conflicts to end extortion from businesses, reduce the kidnapping threat to businesspeople and open up resource-rich Mindanao to investment would be broadly positive for markets. Fresh approaches by Aquino to re-start talks with Muslim separatists, which have so far failed to get off the ground, and the progress of negotiations with communist rebels in 2011. Aquino's appointments to security agencies and plans to increase spending could help keep soldiers and police forces onside and negate a potentially destabilizing force. He has also doubled soldiers' combat pay and promised housing and medical benefits as well. Inmates go on hunger strike, seek clemency. This is the appeal of 40 inmates on hunger strike at the New Bilibid Prisons upon learning the fate of Umbrero, who was granted executive clemency 4 days after he died. The 40 inmates are facing various criminal charges but consider themselves political prisoners having allegedly committed the offenses in pursuit of their political beliefs. Glenda Itaas, husband of Juanito Itaas, asked the President to pardon her husband who has been in jail for 21 years. She said diseases are killing the prisoners one by one. Many of the striking inmates are afraid they may not be able to step on the other side of prison walls again.This fear was highlighted by a recent incident when President Aquino granted clemency to an inmate, Umbrero, 4 days after he died. On Monday, relatives of the strikers will hold a protest in front of the justice department.

PAGCOR also spent P102M on energy drinks? After the P1-billion coffee expos, it's now an alleged P102 million energy drinks scam also by the former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) management under then Chairman Ephraim Genuino. ABS-CBN's "Failon Ngayon" discovered that the state-owned gaming agency gave free energy drinks to gamblers in its casinos. PAGCOR bought the energy drinks from distributor MSM Numero Uno International Corp. owned by a certain Carol Matsuda. A 2008 Commission on Audit (COA) report showed that PAGCOR spent P102 million on the energy drinks in 3 years. Each bottle of the energy drinks sells for P25 in stores. However, PAGCOR paid P109 for each, which shows an overprice of more than 300%. Matsuda is reportedly a member of Bida Foundation led by Genuino. Genuino and 40 others, including BIDA Foundation officers, have already been charged with plunder in a separate case. The party-list group was also linked to another controversy involving the alleged misuse of government funds for political campaigning. Socio-cultural 5 more cops admit roles in ER switching. Five more police officers have confessed to taking part in the alleged cover-up of cheating during the 2004 presidential elections. The men used to work for police Senior Superintendent Rafael Santiago, who earlier admitted to being part of the alleged operation at the Batasang Pambansa. In 2 sworn joint affidavits, Police Officer (PO) 2 Rudy Gahar, PO2 Alan Layugan, PO1 Norman Duco, PO2 Trifon Laxamana Jr., and PO2 Rodel Tabangin disclosed how they supposedly took part in the switching of election returns to cover up the real outcome of the 2004 presidential elections. Based on their statements, former police Special Action Force director Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco was present at the Batasang Pambansa on January 23, 2005, the first night they went to the area. The group also told the Department of Justice (DOJ) that they and the other men of Santiago are are now being harassed. The Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered an investigation into the alleged harassment. The police officers' sworn statements will be used in the joint probe of the DOJ and the Commission on Elections on the supposed cheating during the 2004 presidential polls. These may also be used in cases that will be filed against those found responsible for election fraud and its cover-up. NCRPO holds anti-terrorism exercise. Police forces conducted an anti-terrorism exercise on Tuesday at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City, in an effort to ensure that proper protocol will be followed in case of a terrorist attack in the country. The exercise, administered by Department of Interior Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Alan La Madrin Purisima, focused on the coordinated efforts and inter-operability of participating units in case of

an emergency situation. "It is high time that we regularly hold this joint exercise comprising our entire frontline defense teams to ensure mastery of plan that will be executed soundly," Purisima said in a press statement. The exercise was participated in by the NCRPO, Special Action Force (SAF), Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Sky Police and Bureau of Fire-Taguig. "Dangerous and other similar emergency situations are inevitable. It may happen any time of the day and night. But through vigilance and combined efforts of all concerned, we will achieve our common goal of protecting the public from any forms of danger," Purisima added. Meanwhile, a terrorism scenario was executed at the BJMP to demonstrate the frontline defense teams response plan to neutralize an emergency situation. Simulated events at the BJMP included a riot inside the jail, fire, and a hostage situation. The Sky Police also conducted an aerial coverage of the critical area to safeguard skies and monitor emergency situations from top. Teachers nix DepEd make-up classes policy. The Teacher's Dignity Coalition (TDC) is balking at the education department's order for schools to hold make-up classes. The group argues that it is not the teachers' fault classes were suspended, adding that they don't get paid for the additional work. They believe teachers could have used the Saturday for rest or to fulfill other obligations. They also pointed that some areas may have more class suspensions than others. The suspension of classes is beyond everyones control, including us teachers, and we must not suffer the consequences of these suspensions, TDC National Chairman Benjo Basas told ANC Friday. Basas said the call for make-up classes may be premature. Basas also criticized the preparation of the school calendar. DepEd has advised schools to hold make-up classes after tropical storm Juaning triggered class suspensions in Metro Manila and various provinces last Tuesday and Wednesday. DepEd Communications Unit Director Cristina Ganzon said schools should hold make-up classes on Saturdays so as not to compromise the required 180 standard number of school days in the school calendar. According to DepEd, normally, a school calendar is composed of 202 days. The DepEd warned school officials that fail to comply could be reprimanded or suspended. III. Analysis President Aquino has been our President for over a year now. Since then he had 2 State of the Nation Addresses already. The difference from his first State of the Nation address to his second one was alot. Most of the things he said during his first SONA I wasnt able to see effects or results with what were his programs back then during his first SONA. Regarding the data that I have gathered, I have assessed that most of the things he said during his SONA werent visible or felt by the Filipino people.

The fact that they are saying that our economy is flourishing wasnt felt by the Filipino people. Every week there are oil price hikes. After that, prices of our necessities would also increase because our necessities are directly affected by the oil prices. But there are times that because the Peso-Dollar exchange rate is doing good, the oil prices would have a rollback. It is also a fact that Pres. Aquino should focus on tax collection because the money that they would be getting would be a great help in narrowing our budget deficit. Another statement of the president that isnt true is regarding the Department of Energy (DOE). DOE should be able to control the prices of the electricity and right now there would another increase in its price per kilowatt per hour. Another false statement is the one where he said that rice productivity in the Philippines increased but right we are the ones importing rice from another Asian country. Another is the one prisoner who died waiting for the President to sign his clemency papers. The President should know what to prioritize in helping others. He is to busy running after the Arroyos to sign the clemency papers of Umbrero. Another issue that the president want to solve is abou the 2004 presidential elections. Right now, more police officers that are involved in switching the election returns. In fairness to the president it is right that is running them. Its no question that the Philippines is home of some of the terrorist groups in the world so right now when there are threats here in the Philippines they are on red alert to protect the people. Weve been dealing with the terrorism here for a long time. It is also natural for the Philippines to experience typhoons. So DepEd are having make-up classes for the days that the schools were suspended. But the teachers are against this because this means that they have to teach on a weekend without pay. DepEd just wants the schools to fulfill what they were supposed to do. They just wanted to increase the productivity level of each pupil and increase the level of education here in our country. IV. Summary and Conclusion The president has said things that were false. Some of it is to impress the people especially his crtics. But he should have been truthful on where the Philippines stand towards the economic, political and socio-cultural aspect of the development of our country. So he know where he needs to start in helping the nation. He should focus on what the Filipino people needed in order for them to rise from poverty. He shouldnt focus on being the better president than the former president because its just a description but he should focus on acting upon the needs of the Filipino people. Like regulating the prices of commodities, creating jobs and helping people to be studiuos. He should be a model to Filipinos that they can stand-up on their own to help their own families and they shouldnt depend on the government. At the same time, the government should be able to teach the Filipinos to stand on their own. It is also right that the government is transparent with what they are doing with the funds that the people gave.

But it is only his 1st year in a 6 year term, he still has 5 years to prove to the Filipino people that he is not the same as the other politicians that are all about the power but they could not do anything for the people that they are serving. The Filipino people arent stupid. They would find out if the govenrment is doing something wrong and they wont hesitate to act to punish the government officials involved. So government officials should be truthful to the people they are serving. V. References http://www.usnewslasvegas.com/national/abad-aquino-admin-focuses-on-5areas-of-economic-development/ http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx? articleId=651948&publicationSubCategoryId= http://www.transworldnews.com/808661/c1/philippines-business-forecastreport-q4-2011-new-report-published http://balita.ph/2011/08/03/earnings-of-phl-industries-up-7-4-in-q1/ http://rodmagaru.com/2011/07/24/full-transcript-of-the-state-of-the-nationaddress-2011/ http://www.abs-cbnnews.com http://mypandacan.com/archives/2366