CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – To protect and preserve the country and the people and not to be popular is her main job, President Macapagal-Arroyo said here Monday in a speech made days before her ninth State of the Nation Address on July 27.
Addressing more than 5,000 barangay officials in her home province of Pampanga’s 20 towns and the City of San Fernando and immediately after telling how her administration has steered the country amid the global economic crisis, the President said: But as long as I have the people of Pampanga behind me. I don’t have to be popular to do my work to be president."
Interrupted by loud applauses, she resumed by saying in English and Kapampangan, "Because I became president not to be popular but to protect and preserve our country and our people especially now as we face the full brunt of the recession."
She mentioned the matter of popularity without referring to any critics or several surveys that consistently showed her popularity and the trust on her to be dipping.
The occasion she came to here on Monday was the summit of officials gathered by Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno who is running as vice president.
It was the President 18th visit in Pampanga since February.
In her speech, lasting 11 minutes, the President began by telling officials that the developments in the last 12 months had been "one for history books."
She referred to the financial meltdown in the West, conservative economies in East being shaken to their foundations, big names in the financial sector vanishing, jobs displacements by the millions and the poor always being hit the hardest.
"No one has been spared," she said.
But according to her, the Philippines was in a "better" situation because the national government has imposed new taxes during better times and was using the windfall to stimulate the economy.
The President admitted that the economic growth went slower in recent quarters, but went on to say that the last 33 quarters combined showed a double increase in production from $76 billion to $186 billion.
Poverty rate declined with income increasing from $967 per annum to $2,000 per annum, which means a bigger middle class from the seven million entrepreneurs to date, she said.
Reserves, on the other hand, totaled $40 billion. The President gave no data no budget deficit.
"We raised taxes in good times…and spending in bad times," she said, thanking legislators in Pampanga for supporting tax measures.
These, she said, were how the national government was able to build new roads, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, farm-to-market roads, bridges and port.
The President said local governments are the "biggest beneficiaries" in tax collection measures as they get 40 percent of the P40 billion collection for internal revenue allotment.
The President then asked village officials to "provide stimulus to the economy" as the national government proceeds with its economic resiliency program.
Speaking in Kapampangan, Ms Arroyo said: "On my end, I will do my part. I trust in your full support. I trust in our unity and hard work. Pampanga is a big contributor in the progress of the Philippines."
She said she was proud of Pampanga because after the disaster wrought by Mt. Pinatubo’s eruptions in 1991, it is now one of the 10 top provinces in the country.
Provincial Board Member Joel Simpauco, chair of the Liga ng mga Barangay, said it did not sound to her that the President was campaigning. The frequent, almost weekly visits raised suspicions she was seeking a seat in Congress through Pampanga’s second district that she has visited 16 times.
Lubao Mayor Dennis Pineda, also the president of the Pampanga Mayors League, said the President "need not court" Pampanga anymore because "she’s fully supported by Kapampangans."
In the summit, Limpauco said Puno and DILG officials presented various programs by agencies from where village leaders can tap agricultural, education, health and employment support for their constituents.
