Malacañang Palace said Arroyo's term MISUSED around ₱836 billion to more than ₱1 trillion

 Gloria Arroyo's term MISUSED around ₱836 billion to more than ₱1 trillion - Malacañang Palace said 

Noy slams Arroyo same day Palace wished her peace

 

President Benigno Aquino III again criticized former President and now Pampanga Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the corruption that plagued her administration.

 

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In his speech at the first state conference on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on Thursday, Aquino lamented that the Philippines missed opportunities during Arroyo's term and that the former President left him a government ruined by corruption.

 

"I myself have pointed out that the ten years before I stepped into office had been called a lost decade—one in which our country could have developed strong foundations to build upon. Instead, after my predecessor stepped down, our administration found a system of governance long decayed by corruption," Aquino said.

 

In giving the Philippines its first investment grade, debt watcher Fitch has credited the Arroyo administration for beginning the reforms needed to improve government finances.

 

"Improvements in fiscal management begun under President Arroyo have made general government debt dynamics more resilient to shocks. Strong economic growth and moderate budget deficits have brought the general government (GG) debt/GDP ratio in line with 'BBB' median," Fitch said in a statement in March.

 

Aquino's fresh criticisms against Arroyo came after Malacañang wished for peace and goodwill during the holidays for the former president.

 

Despite being three years into the presidency, Aquino continues to hit the past administration. In a speech last October, he said the amount of public funds misused during Arroyo's term was around ₱836 billion and may exceed ₱1 trillion.

 

The President claimed that his administration has since taken steps to curb corruption in the government after Arroyo left the Palace.

 

He said the first thing his leadership identified was that no one can be above the law in the fight against corruption.

 

"It should not matter what position you hold in the bureaucratic ladder: If you do wrong by the people, then you should be held accountable," Aquino said.

 

The President recalled that in his term, cases were filed against Arroyo while former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona was impeached.

 

But Aquino said the campaign against corruption is not limited to those in public office as the government will go after anyone, regardless of profession.

 

"If you do not pay your taxes, the state will pursue you. It means that no matter how many resources you have at your disposal, if you choose to smuggle goods, you cannot escape the government," Aquino said.

 

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He said in the past three years, the government has filed 423 cases against tax evaders and smugglers.

 

Aquino also enumerated some of the other anti-corruption programs of his administration such as the reforms in the Bureau of Customs and the zero-based budgeting system of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

 

The President also mentioned the Budget ng Bayan and Pera ng Bayan campaigns of the DBM and Department of Finance and the most recent initiative, the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub or Project FAiTH which tracks the international donations in the wake of Super Typhoon "Yolanda." - philSTAR

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CHA-CHA: Belmonte to Amend Philippines Constitution NOT for Federal Government but for foreigners to own 100% - supported by allies

 

Is it timely that the faulty and protective economic constitution of the Philippines be amended and allow all foreign investors to own 100%  in the Philippines?

 

Is it timely that outside Manila; Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao must stand also to push for Charter Change for Federal system that would empower the States of Luzon, State of Visayas and State of Mindanao an ample autonomy to develop its jurisdiction with equal power with Manila?

 

Is this charter change is timely for a genuine economic growth?

 

Published in Inquirer, Speaker Belmonte gained support for Charter change.

 

Allies back Belmonte on Charter change

 

House allies of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte on Thursday (December 19, 2013) said they were endorsing his push for charter change (Cha-cha) despite the absence of categorical support from President Aquino, and they believed the idea of amending the economic provisions of the Constitution would eventually gain acceptance and support.

 

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga and Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas commended Belmonte for his proposal, saying the Charter's economic provisions have to go in keeping with current economic realities.

 

Treñas said many House colleagues favored the proposal, even if Aquino was not receptive to it.

 

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Speaker has spoken

 

"I think that many of us in the House of Representatives are really for charter change. Others are not just that vocal but now that no less than our Speaker has spoken, I think more congressmen will voice their support for [Belmonte's] position on the issue," he said.

 

At the Senate, Senate President Franklin Drilon on Thursday said he was willing to look into amending the Constitution but added that any attempt to tinker with the basic law would need the support of the President.

 

"We are open to it. We will see how these debates develop and we will take a position at the appropriate time. There must be consensus among the political leaders because this kind of political exercise must have the support of the unified political leadership," Drilon told reporters.

 

'Political exercise'

 

He said charter change, to be successful, would need the support of Aquino because "it's a political exercise."

 

1BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III, who is from the House minority, warned that any move to amend the economic provisions would open up the entire Constitution to proposed changes.

 

Bello said he could only be convinced of Belmonte's charter change idea if he knew the exact purpose and real intent of the proposal.

 

Belmonte earlier said he only sought to amend the economic provisions of the charter by adding the phrase, "unless otherwise provided by law," to the constitutional provisions limiting foreign investors' participation in economic activities in the country.

 

"If you have charter change, everything goes. You can't limit it to amending the economic provisions. If you allow it, you open the flood gates," Bello told reporters.

 

He said politics would likely enter the picture, as many officials are politically minded.

 

Barzaga recalled how when he was a city mayor, many investors had complained about the economic restrictions in the Constitution that made it hard to do business in the country.

 

The investors lamented the difficulties they encountered in trying to acquire land for their manufacturing plants, Barzaga said. He said some of these investors were forced to use dummy corporations to circumvent the constitutional prohibition.

 

Barzaga said there must be a firm resolves to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution.

 

"After all, we legislate not on the issue of popularity but on what we think will be best for the country," he said in a text message.

 

Treñas believed the President could come around to supporting the idea once Congress begins discussing the merits of correcting the "restrictive and inward-looking economic provisions," and once it shows that it only intends to focus on this and nothing more.

 

To follow

 

"As soon as he is convinced that Congress is only interested in revising serious flaws on the Constitution's economic provisions and nothing else, I am confident that the President's support will soon follow," he said.

 

According to Treñas, there is a need to lift the restrictions on economic policies because other countries that have embraced the reality of how the world conducts business have been overtaking the Philippines.

 

"Reviewing the Constitution is to keep our basic law attuned to the changing world. A national debate within the halls of Congress on the merits and demerits of amending the Constitution will give our people a better perspective on this particular issue," he said.

 

Drilon said it was ultimately up to the Filipino people whether they think it was time to change the Constitution ratified more than 20 years ago under the administration of the President's mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.

 

Up to the people

 

"At the end of the day, it will depend on the people where in the process of ratification, they themselves will decide whether it is proper at this point to amend the Constitution in the manner as presented by Congress acting as a constitutional assembly," he said.

 

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Drilon said he had yet to discuss charter change with Belmonte "but the process they are suggesting is the process that I initiated a couple of years ago, that when we propose amendments to the Constitution, it must be in the same manner as we pass laws."

 

Under Drilon's proposal, the Senate and the House of Representatives will deliberate and vote separately on the proposed amendments.

 

He noted that the Senate had in the past rejected the proposal that senators and representatives convene as a constitutional assembly voting as one, "because you might as well abolish the Senate—the Senate is just 24 against the House's 270 votes."

 

"That is why there is a resistance. But if we vote separately, as separate houses of Congress, then that possibility will not happen," Drilon said - INQUIRER

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