Monday, July 26, 2004 Arroyo Sona to bare 6-year reforms
MANILA -- Fresh from rescuing hostaged truck driver Angelo dela Cruz but facing an election protest, President Arroyo will attempt to explain today how she will deliver millions of jobs and nine other promises until 2010.
Police and military forces went on full alert yesterday ahead of President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (Sona), in which she will outline her government's program after getting a fresh six-year term.
Police are expecting some 20,000 anti-Arroyo demonstrators to take to the streets Monday as the President delivers her annual speech before Congress, a month after assuming office.
Arroyo's address comes three days after Fernando Poe Jr. asked the Supreme Court for a recount of the votes cast in the May 10 election.
Malacaņang shrugged off a reported plan of some opposition senators to boycott the speech, noting that what's more important is that the whole nation will be listening.
Reports said Senators Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada, his mother Luisa "Loi" Ejercito and Sergio Osmeņa III are skipping the Sona as they only expect Arroyo to make empty promises on jobs and reforms.
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will not be able to make it as he is attending a hearing on a petition for a power rate increase filed with the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara is unsure if he will attend.
In Cebu, progressive groups will also hit the streets in time for Arroyo's State of the Nation Address Monday.
Wennie Badayos of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Visayas said they will question the President's sincerity in fulfilling her 10-point agenda.
About 1,000 members of AMA-Sugbo, KMU and Bayan-affiliated militant groups will converge outside the Gaisano Metro Colon area, also to protest the P8-salary adjustment approved by the regional wage board last week.
They will call for the approval of petitions for the P125 across-the-board increase pending before Congress.
They will also ask the President to abolish the Oil Deregulation Law which, Badayos said, is the cause of fare hikes and an increase in the prices of basic commodities.
President Arroyo will discuss her job creation and economic programs, among other plans.
"As is her habit, our President is continually reviewing and revising the draft of the speech based on the inputs of her Cabinet and advisers," said Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye.
Deputy Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo said although Arroyo has several advisers and writers helping her in the preparation of the Sona, she is on top of the drafting of her speech.
Bunye said the speech will be about 30 minutes to 40 minutes long.
It will cover five packages of executive and legislative reforms:
* job creation and economic growth;
* anti-corruption and good governance;
* social justice and basic needs;
* education improvement and youth opportunity; and
* energy independence and savings.
Bunye added that Arroyo's speech will no longer include the drama of the 2001 Sona, which introduced three "paper boat" boys who supposedly sent Arroyo a letter about their poor living conditions and aspirations, which they turned into paper boats and floated on the Pasig River.
However, Arroyo is expected to mention the plight of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Angelo dela Cruz, released last week by his Iraqi militia captors after the Philippines agreed to pull out its troops.
Bunye said Arroyo already started to make a pre-Sona speech when she discussed her proposed educational reforms during a meeting in Lucena City with public school teachers and district supervisors.
Last Thursday, she met with the business community and listed her programs for job creation and economic growth, and last Friday, she delivered her foreign policy program during the anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
President Arroyo will convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council tomorrow to fully explain to lawmakers, Cabinet members and other stakeholders her programs for her six-year term.
Town hall meetings will also be conducted to consult and hold dialogues with local folks to make them understand her proposed reforms, Bunye said.
"Let us all be calm and have a successful Sona," Metro Manila Police Director Ricardo de Leon said on local radio.
About 6,000 police officers are expected to guard the grounds of Congress, backed up by the military. Trained dogs will be deployed to search for bombs. (AFP)/With CYR
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