What are Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's projects that are still helping the people?

Answer 1

MANILA - In her last State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Arroyo belied speculations that she would cling to power beyond her term in June 2010, and thanked the people for allowing her to serve as chief executive.

"I have never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term. Many of those who accuse me of it tried to cling nails to their posts," she said in her speech on Monday. Based on her record over the past eight years, Arroyo said she had "never done any of the things that have scared my worst critics so much," adding "they are frightened by their own shadows." When she was faced with attempted coups, she said she merely issued "emergency proclamations just in case."

"But I was able to resolve these military crises with the ordinary powers of my office. My critics call it Dictatorship. I call it determination," she said. "We know it as strong government. But I never declared martial law." Amid warnings from the opposition on the possible declaration of martial law, Mrs. Arroyo calling the warnings a "self-imagined threat," and said these groups were "running scared as if I did (declare martial law)." "I say to them: do not tell us what we all know, that democracy can be threatened. Tell us what you will do when it is attacked," she said. "As I have shown, I will defend democracy with arms when it is threated by violence; with firmness when it is weakened by division; with Law and Order where it is subverted by anarchy; and always, I will try to sustain it by wise policies of economic progress, so that a democracy means not just an empty liberty but a full life for all," Arroyo said. She also assailed critics of charter change, claiming that "the noisiest critics of constitutional reform tirelessly and shamelessly attempted Cha-cha when they thought they could take advantage of a shift in the form of government. Now that they feel they cannot benefit from it, they oppose it." Arroyo did not name her predecessors President Fidel Ramos, nor Joseph Estrada, who both attempted charter change for various reasons.

"As the process of fundamental reform begins, let us address the highest exercise of democracy--voting!" Tells Erap he blew his chance On corruption allegations, Arroyo hit back at her critics who have accused her of "misgovernance." "I am accused of misgovernance. Many of those who accuse me of it left me the problem of their misgovernance to solve. And we have done it," she said. "I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my office for personal profit. Many of those who accuse me of it have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime," Arroyo said. "We can read their frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they blew it by serving themselves."

Without mentioning Estrada, Arroyo said: "Those who live in glass houses should cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there." Estrada was found guilty of plunder by the Sandiganbayan in 2007, but did not serve time in prison after Arroyo immediately pardoned him. "Governance is not about looking back and getting even. It is about looking forward and giving more--to the people who gave us the greatest, hardest gift of all: the leadership of a country, the care of a nation," she said. She also called on the various sectors to "come together" and "work together." The most applauded part of her speech was the last sentence, when Mrs. Arroyo said: "And to the people of our good country, for allowing me to serve as your President, maraming salamat. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas." as of 07/27/2009 5:29 PM

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