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29June
Photo of President PNoy by Google
PNoy, the statesman dies at 61
- Jun 29, 2021
- Alexander Iskandar, Luwaran
- HITS: 947
Upon learning of the news, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, as well as the BTA Parliament issued their respective message of sympathy to the bereaved family of PNoy.
PNoy has many commendable achievements during his incumbency but he remained humble until the end of his term. Despite being in power, he has never been involved in corruption, or charge of any wrongdoing. If ever there was any, they were all dismissed by the court.
PNoy popularized the belief that “if no one is corrupt, no one will be poor”
Foremost among his significant achievements, the country won its case it filed in the United Nations Court on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as regards the illegal occupation by China of the West Philippine Sea. It was an unprecedented act coupled with courage and determination no one has ever made.
Besides fighting poverty and corruption, he also promised to make the country “attractive to investors” through economic reforms. He vowed he would “cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies.” He also added that he would also “level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance to business.”
Economic record
According to reports, President Aquino has a solid economic record. The country is an emerging economy, stated by world economic experts due to the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI).
Between January and November 2014, FDI flows reached $5.7 billion that represented a more than 60 percent increase compared to 2013. The economy was also reported to have increased by 6.1 percent in 2014. It may be slower than the 7.2 growth in 2013, and short of the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 target, it was still the second fastest in Asia during that period. But critics said, this economic growth has failed to raise the living standards in the country.
Meanwhile, official figures showed that 25.8 percent of Filipinos were living below the poverty line in the first half of 2014, just 0.5 percent less than in 2009.
Corruption record
According to the Official Gazette, the official government journal of the Philippines, the Aquino government implemented radical transformation in an attempt to improve transparency and accountability. The Aquino government claims to have improved good governance reforms that includes “strengthening the mechanisms necessary for the swift and efficient delivery of services.”
The government also boasts of changing “procurement and budgeting processes to promote efficiency and reduce opportunities for corruption.” It resulted to channeling government funds into social services, health and education.
On the other hand, an opinion poll cited in The Economist published that 46 percent of Filipinos believe Aquino has failed to curb corruption, while 13 percent said he succeeded. The high figure may be attributed to the continuing controversies regarding the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The DAP, which is a program aimed at speeding up public spending and boost economic growth, and PDAF, which was created to allow legislators to fund small-scale infrastructure, are being accused of misusing public funds.
Whether the Chief Executive’s policies and reforms will prove to be successful in the long run will depend on his successor.
His promiIn June 2010, President Aquino won a landslide victory, promising to fight corruption and poverty. During his inauguration on June 30, 2010, he promised to transform the government of the country “from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.”
PNoy has two significant legacies left to the Bangsamoro People.
One is the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) signed in 2012 between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed in 2014. CAB became the foundation of the passage of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) by congress signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018.
The Bangsamoro people joined the Filipino nation in mourning the death of a statesman so admired by many of his constituents.
Time in Cotabato
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