| Perhaps
the greatest challenge in my dual role as the Presidential Spokesperson and Press
Secretary at this time in our history is that I work in one of the most robust democracies
in the world. There is great democratic space where freedom of expression is
practically unrestrained - probably an extreme reaction to the martial law years when the
press and freedom of expression were suppressed. In a highly competitive media environment
where news tends to be circulation- or ratings-driven, our communications team has to deal
with fast moving issues affecting the Presidency. We have to ensure that not just the
President's position on each issue but more importantly, her strategic programs and core
messages are effectively communicated.
As Presidential Spokesperson and
Press Secretary, it is important that I remain firmly committed to a strong, vibrant
government and democracy and a strong free and open press, on the one hand, and to the
reforms and the Presidency of President Arroyo, on the other. My job is to balance both
and to focus on preserving, protecting and defending both aspirations.
It is the job of the press to get
all the information to exercise its role as a watchdog of Government. It is my job to give
all the information I can to the press in a way that guarantees the smooth run of
governance and helps the President attain her goals for the country.
Going to the Malacanan press
briefing room almost daily, to meet what has come to be known as the ‘Malacanan brat
pack’ , is like walking a tight rope. I have to balance my loyalties to a free and
open press while being restrained to respect the sanctity of communications with the
President. Sometimes the press says I give too little, and sometimes I think the press
slants the story too much. This is the reality in which we interact and operate.
During those briefings, I get thrown
a lot of curved balls by the press and I have accepted this is as part of the hazards of
the job. I have learned that belligerency and fighting back will always be treated
negatively. One must learn to remain composed and not get riled up by sometimes irritating
questions.
The second biggest challenge, not
just for me but also for all the members of her official family, is keeping up with a
principal, who even her detractors concede, is one of the most hard working presidents we
have ever had. Matching the President's enormous capacity for hard work and determination
to understand each policy issue down to the smallest detail could stretch her cabinet to
the limit. Woe to any cabinet member who has not read and internalized her Medium Term
Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).
The President’s strategic
programs are summarized in her Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) and
presented in capsule form in her ten-point agenda (BEAT THE ODDS) which she first
enunciated during her inauguration in June 30, 2004.
At the root of these are two key
reforms: fiscal and economic reforms or Phase One Reforms and the political reforms which
form part of Phase Two Reforms.
At the end of the day, when
historians write about the Arroyo Presidency, these are the two reforms for which we would
like her to be remembered. To our mind, they are the reforms, and I would dare say the
only reforms, that would really matter if we are to move our country towards first-world
status in twenty years.
To say that 2005 has been a
challenging year would be an understatement. President Arroyo fought the most bruising
political battle of her life. She beat off efforts to unseat her in the streets and in the
halls of Congress. In the process, she proved to her detractors that she is stronger than
any of them ever imagined or would care to admit.
Members of her cabinet took a good
share of the slings and arrows in defending her, but together with the President, we
survived the political onslaught.
We believe that the worst of the
political turmoil is now behind us. Unfortunately, the controversies and the resultant
political noise, almost sidetracked the vital fiscal reform program.
At the start, promoting the Reform
Vat was like selling a refrigerator to an Eskimo. To begin with , it is already difficult
under any circumstances to convince the people to part with their money and to pay taxes.
But push these we must, because we
believe they are vital for the long-term stability and well-being of the nation and its
people. These were tough but necessary measures, a bitter pill so to speak, that may cause
discomfort today for some, but will reap rewards and build a better future for our
children tomorrow.
Eventually, the Reform Vat, which
forms the lynch pin of the Arroyo fiscal recovery program was passed by Congress, and
successfully defended in the Supreme Court.
Safety nets to temper the effects of
VAT were immediately put in place. With nothing to legally impede the implementation of
this measure, confidence in the Philippines immediately experienced a tremendous rebound.
The peso jumped from its sickbed to become almost overnight the ‘darling
currency’ of Asia, if not of the world. The Phlippine stock exchange became the
second most active in the region. Foreign direct investments are at an all time high.
Tourist arrivals are increasing by leaps and bounds. And yes, OFW remittances keep coming
in.
In sum, 2005 is not just the year
that President Arroyo survived her biggest political challenge. It was also the year when
she restored the fiscal health of the country and turned the economy around.
The next phase of economic reforms
will be defined by bringing the benefits of Reform VAT directly to the people by creating
jobs, improving incomes and providing better health, education and social services to our
people
In 2006, 30 per cent of the
additional revenues from the VAT reform measure will be invested in much-needed
infrastructure and social services with the rest going towards deficit reduction.
Examples of the use of VAT-related
revenues in 2006 Budget expenditure include the following: P2.9 billion in health
insurance premiums for poor people, P14.5 billion to acquire and distribute 230,000
hectares of land to landless farmers, P17.0 billion for the Agriculture
and Fisheries Modernization Act to enhance agribusiness development
activities, which, in turn, will generate new jobs (154,256 jobs in rice and
corn production, 322,000 jobs in coconut and abaca ) and improve people’s incomes.
With economic recovery
underway, the next step is political reform: hence, charter change.
In the 2004 elections, President
Arroyo was the only presidential candidate who espoused charter change as part of her
campaign platform. She believes that our present political system as well as many of our
economic policies are no longer responsive to the fast-changing and highly globalized
environment.
She took the first concrete step
this year in pushing charter change when she created the Constitutional Commission
(ConCom) which aimed to provide a framework for discussions and consultations. On the
second week of December, the ConCom submitted its recommended revisions of the charter.
These recommendations have been endorsed to Congress.
Already, discussions on charter
change are beginning to heat up.
Both from a governance and
communications perspective, we are looking at 2006 as another exciting year! |