Blue Heights

National Situationer tackles PH economy under P-Noy

By Urania Lindao, Andrea Danao
and Alena Mariano

“How well has P-Noy led our country?” “Has our economy prospered since he became President?” “Is democracy being practiced under his administration?”
“Are Filipinos living a more comfortable life now than before?”

These are some of the questions raised in this year’s National Situationer organized by the Social
Studies Area of the high school department. Anchored on the theme, “Our Response to the Signs of the Times”, the symposium was held last June 23, 2011 at the Sister Imburg Covered Court.

The invited speaker, Mr. John Paul Andaguig, an alumnus of the University of the Philippines and editor of IBON Foundation textbooks, opened the eyes of Scholasticans with timely information and meaningful insights about the country’s current socio-political and economic situations.

Andaguig started his talk by enumerating the plans of action of President Benigno Aquino III presented during his electoral campaign.

The first part of the event highlighted the Philippine democracy which was categorized into political and economic democracy, in which the speaker stated, “Political democracy is defined as governance by the people, for the people. It is shown through the presence of elections. Yet these elections are still affected by the presence of political dynasties, money-driven victories, foreign influence and state-sponsored attacks.”

The second part of the symposium scrutinized Aquino’s economic policies titled “Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016: Social Contract with the Filipino People”. The plan, according to the speaker, is subdivided into three parts: (A) Transparent and Accountable
Government, (B) Upliftment and Empowerment of the Poor and Vulnerable, and (C) Growing Economy.

Such plans were evaluated as “not entirely new” as Andaguig pointed out that this has been used by former presidents Arroyo, Aquino, Ramos and Estrada.

Selected programs were also discussed such as the Conditional Cash Transfer Program, a financial support project started by Arroyo in 2008 to aid selected poor Filipinos; Public-Private Partnership and the 2011 National Budget.

The need for social change was emphasized as Mr. Andaguig said that progress in economy can be achieved through real agrarian reforms, national industrialization, rights of workers and economic sovereignty.

After the talk, the students from all year levels were given a chance to speak their minds and to ask questions which Mr. Andaguig gamely addressed in the open forum.