Wednesday, June 23, 2010

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Farewell Address

Below is the full text of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's speech aired over television and radio stations.

"My fellow Filipinos,

We come together tonight as we approach a hallmark of democracy for our great nation the smooth transition of power to a new leader.

We have just come through a historic election. It was open and it was modern.

As a result, we were able to declare winners in hours and days rather than weeks and months. The face of politics in our nation has changed forever.

Tonight, I once again congratulate president-elect Aquino and vice president-elect Binay.

Nine years ago, I came to the presidency at a time of great turmoil in our nation. I accepted the challenge of the office when it was thrust upon me.

At that time, our country was reeling from political intrigue and a distressed economy.

We set to work to reform our economy and invest in our people. Along the way, we had to make unpopular choices such as raising taxes but we did so against the odds for a very simple reason: we had to have new money for more and better healthcare, education, and job creation.

We needed new and better roads, bridges, ports and a technology backbone to attract new businesses and investors to create new jobs.

Through hard work, determination and a clear plan of action, we helped achieve many of these objectives.

As a result, we have had 37 quarters of uninterrupted economic growth even against the headwinds of a major global recession.

Look around you in our cities as you drive by the office towers that have changed the skyline.

Look around you in our provinces as you drive along the roads, bridges and Ro-Ro ports where we have made massive investments.

This is the face of change.

Eighty-five percent of our people now have access to Philhealth insurance, over a hundred thousand classrooms have been built and nine-million jobs have been created.

We developed the call-center industry almost from scratch. Today there are 500,000 call-center and BPO jobs when only 5,000 existed when I took office.

Yet, these accomplishments are merely part of the continuum of history.

The gains I made were built on the efforts of previous leaders. Each successive government must build on the successes and progress of the previous one.

Advance the programs that work and leave behind those that don't.

I feel confident that we are leaving this nation much stronger than I came to office but I leave that for history to judge.

Tonight, I call on everyone to unite behind our new leaders. I am optimistic and I am hopeful about our future yet until every Filipino child is born to a family free of poverty, we cannot rest.

We must always set our sights on the future and keep an eye on improving our economy, investing in people and building bridges, not just bridges of iron and steel but bridges between people, generations and governments.

The bridges we must build to the future rest on the hard work, grace and compassion of our people.

The people of our nation are our greatest asset.

You are the backbone that drives our nation forward everyday.

From the fisherman to the farmer, to the taxi driver and the teacher, we are a nation of industrious, hardworking people.

I thank each and everyone for your contribution to help the Philippines achieve our potential.

This time next week I will be moving into new phase of life leading a quieter public role.

We're all on a journey together. As our nation moves forward let us all join hands in unity and walk confidently towards a better tomorrow.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the honor and privilege of serving you.

Malaking karangalan ang makapag-lingkod sa sambayanan bilang Pangulo.

Sa inyong lahat na napag-silbihan ko sa mahirap ngunit makasaysayang landas, maraming maraming salamat."

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – English Version

1) The first Chief Executive to be formally accused in Congress of cheating, lying and stealing.


2) The highest level of public debt (P6 trillion) and the biggest amount of foreign borrowing (more than Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada combined).
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – The Negative side
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – English Version
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – The Positive side
3) The biggest number of downgrades of American, British and Japanese credit rating firms.

4) The No. 2 most corrupt country in Asia in a survey of 102 countries according to the World Economic Forum and Asian Development Bank. Now also confirmed in the CBCP statement calling for “reforms” in her “graft-ridden” government. Estimates of amounts lost to corruption reach as high as P200 billion.

5) The most dangerous place for journalists in the whole world, 2nd only to war-torn Iraq according to the New York- based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and earlier the London based ICJ. And the killings of judges, prosecutors and lawyers are also common. Index crimes are up 15 percent over last year.

6) The new shabu-manufacturing center in Asia with the number of drug users multiplying rapidly. Marijuana plantations in the highlands are increasing.

7) The harshest repression of freedom of speech and of assembly topped by a no permit, no rally policy. Control of media is MalacaƱang's policy.

8) The highest unemployment rate (20.3 percent adult unemployment rate as reported by SWS) and the highest underemployment rate (26 percent) including the collapse of the garment industry. UP Economics professor Dr. Ernesto Pernia found out that with 1.4 million new entrants to the labor force yearly, GMA created only 800,000 new jobs annually, many of them casual or part-time.

9) The weakest link in the war on terror and the loss of standing and respect in the international community accompanied by a deterioration of US-Philippine relations. Mindanao has been tagged as a terrorist training ground.

10) The most expensive and the most fraudulent elections held ever on May 10, 2004, now documented on tape and prefabricated election returns and certificates of canvass. A ranking DBM official has now revealed that P750 million was released to PhilHealth before the elections and more than P3 billion has been spent for the alagaan mo ang kalsada natin election gimmicks.

11) The fastest deterioration in the poverty line from 32 percent under President Erap to 53 percent in four years of GMA with a Ph.D. in Economics. Hunger stalks the land with 58 percent saying they are not eating properly, with many saying they eat only once a day. Many are even selling their bodies or their organs just to survive.

12) Interference with the Supreme Court and other inferior courts highlighted by mediocre appointments to the judiciary stressing political paybacks and personal loyalty to GMA.

13) The most number of casinos and gambling establishments and proliferation of gambling operations nationwide topped by an importation of 60,000 slot machines and a jueteng payola reaching billions of pesos. We are now one big gambling parlor.

14) The highest dollar-peso exchange rate (P56.50 to $1).

15) The highest importation of rice over a four-year period (about 6,000 metric tons) indicating a failure in agriculture and agrarian reform amid claims of billions in kickbacks.

16) The highest prices of oil products ever (P33.80 per liter for premium).

17) The most number of foreign and domestic trips by a President accompanied by a big entourage, a big travel budget.

18) The most number of adverse travel advisories released by foreign governments against travel to the Philippines.

19) The largest number of retired AFP and PNP officers appointed to civilian positions.

20) The biggest number of doctors, nurses, managers, professionals, even domestics and caregivers leaving the country with 7,000 braving death or injury in Iraq. An estimated 10,000 doctors have left or about to leave the country as nurses.

21) The biggest percentage increase of service and clearance fees, toll (3,000 percent), license fees, ever imposed by any administration. You even have to pay to enter an NBI office.

22) The lowest amount ($14 million) of foreign investment in any given year aggravated by the departure of major investors for China such as FedEx lately.

23) The biggest number of pyramid scams, pre-need plans, bankruptcy, thereby a failure to protect the consumer.

24) Condemnation by the German government and business associations on the Fraport-Piatco issue.

25) The Peace Bonds scam giving away P1.3 billion to Code NGO and incurring a P35 billion additional debt in the process.

26) The biggest amount of unpaid pensions to AFP and PNP retirees (P17 billion). And unpaid DPWH contracts.

27) The biggest importer of used cars and tax-free luxury cars highlighting a record of smuggling.
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – The Negative side
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – English Version
Pamana ni Gloria sa bayan – The Positive side
28) The emergence of fake US treasury bills, fake dollar and peso bills, fake drugs, fake CDs and VCDs, fake brand name products, fake recruiters, fake passports, topped by a fake President, fake Vice President and fake senators. And now a fake impeachment complaint.

29) The first President to send her spouse into exile.

30) The first President whose Sona address is boycotted by a big number of senators and congressmen.



What do all these amount to? A failure of governance by the worst administration in our 107-year history.

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Saturday, June 5, 2010

Gretchen Barretto wardrobe malfunction


Are you looking for Gretchen Barretto breast / boobs scandal?  Are you in search of the pictures and video download of Gretchen Barretto wardrobe malfunction?

This time it is Gretchen Barretto’s turn to be involved in a wardrobe malfunction where her breast was exposed when her gown was pulled down by the wheel of a motorbike during the taping of her upcoming teleserye “Magkaribal”.  The Gretchen Barretto breast scandal happened in a scene with her newest on-screen partner Derek Ramsay.

During the taping, Gretchen’s red gown was caught in a wheel of a moving bike, that pulled down her gown. Derek was driving the motorbike.

“We are on a motorbike. Gretchen is looking beautiful at the back of the bike with her long gown and we are trying to get this effect na we will fly by the camera with dress,” Derek said.

“Nakayakap ako sa inyo. Maya maya nakaganoon na ako (leaning backward). Akala ko may humihila. ‘Yon pala yong tire inipit ‘yong gown tapos sumigaw ako. In other words, nahubaran ako,” Gretchen said.

Gretchen said that she’s just thankful that she and Derek were not hurt in the incident. What makes her sad, though, was her expensive red gown, which according to reports, is worth P80,000.

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