NOTHING TO HOPE FOR WITH PNOY'S SONA!

Just as I had said earlier, NO SPECIFIC and IIMMEDIATE or long-term solutions to the country’s problems in President Aquino’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

He cited figures, yes, but as we had anticipated, mostly only on pledges of investments or investors supposedly in negotiations with the government for possible ventures.

ONLY IN THE NEGOTIATION STAGE, nothing FINAL yet, like the 140 or so companies interested to come into the power sector. But NO NAMES of even one or two of the supposed 140.

Pnoy claimed one million or so jobs have been generated. But HE DID NOT IDENTIFY EVEN ONE beneficiary or company which took in new personnel.

And before I forget, Pnoy heralded the four-time credit upgrade the country has had under his Administration.

But before you get DECEIVED or BRAINWASHED, boys and girls, consider this: Pnoy’s government has practically NOT SPENT ANYTHING on infrastructure and other MAJOR PRO-PEOPLE projects.

Therefore, there is spare money. Naturally, if you a creditor who will be approached by somebody with a sizeable cash reserve, you will give the borrower a higher preference and grade!

That is the truth behind the credit upgrade, guys. NOT BECAUSE Pnoy and his boys are damned good ECONOMIC MANAGERS.

I ask you one more time: How many, if any, new infrastructure projects – roads, bridges, piers, public markets, airports, and the like -- do you know which have been built, or even started, ONE YEAR after Pnoy took office?

He claimed road projects under his watch, but could ONLY BE SPECIFIC WITH ONE, in a hardly known place in Agusan del Sur in Mindanao.

He cited irrigation gains, but again was SPECIFIC IN ONLY ONE, in Bukidnon, again in Mindanao.

Pnoy even had the stomach to cite the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as the key to freeing some 100,000 poorest of the poor families from poverty.

But again, NOT EVEN ONE NAME of any beneficiary, or the location of these supposed 100,000 recipients.

And three things for your info, boys and girls, in case you don’t know: CCT beneficiaries get only P1,500 MONTHLY. With the prices of basic commodities nowadays, somebody please justify how can P1,500 release anyone from poverty?

The CCT has a P20-billion plus budget. There has been no known expenditure report yet, but Pnoy already hinted at a possible increase of that fund.

Third, the CCT is a brainchild of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. But Pnoy didn’t even have the civility to acknowledge this.

And to top it all, Pnoy HAD NO SPECIFIC PLAN to solve major problems of the country like sky-high electricity rates and oil prices, quality health care, increased livelihood opportunities, illegal drugs, peace and order. etc.

So DON’T EXPECT lower prices or improvements in the day-to-day hardships we’re facing, guys. Not now or in the near future.

Consult a psychiatrist if you will! 30