INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

(2ND UPDATE) Debate becomes forum as most GO bets a no show

INQUIRER.net

Veronica Uy

MANILA, Philippines -- As most of the members of the Genuine Opposition chose to boycott it, the debate organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Manila Hotel became a panel interview where senatorial candidates answered questions from a group of known economists.

It was generally a ho-hum affair except for a couple of applauses and the prank of disqualified nuisance senatorial candidate Manuel Po, who shouted toward the end of the event that he wasn't invited even though he had things to say.

Rene Azurin, one of the interviewers, said that as a panel interview, the candidates were not able to go beyond the motherhood statements that a debate would have avoided.

Azurin asked two pointed questions on pork barrel and legislated wage increases that could be answered by a yes or a no. He admitted that the format made it difficult to determine where the eight participants stood on particular issues.

“They were able to get away with general statements,” he said.

However, PCCI's Donald Dee said that while he was not surprised by any of the answers, except for Prospero Pichay's admission that he won't give up his pork barrel as it funds his advocacies, he was glad that the discussion showed that the eight candidates were focused on four issues: infrastructure, governance, education, and transport.

“I think the eight candidates were able to get their chance to answer very directly the question on how they can help sustain economic growth. The areas were clearly identified by them,” Dee said.

He also said a part 2 of the discussion would be unlikely “unless there would be a clamor for it.”

Antonio Lopez, one of the interviewers who engaged the interviewees to a debate when they wanted to explain their answers, said the tentativeness in the candidates' answer to the pork barrel question showed their “lack of commitment” to cut off from the congressional funding.

Only two GO members, Anna Dominique “Nikki” Coseteng and Sonia Roco, attended the debate. Coseteng was applauded by the audience when she talked about smuggling.

Countering Pichay's position that the opposition with their rallies and demonstrations had failed in its fiscalizing role, Coseteng pointed out that it was the administration, not the opposition, which had allowed smuggling, with its detrimental effects to the economy, to happen.

“I think blaming the opposition is an unintelligent statement to make, to say the least...It's not the opposition that's doing the killings and the militarization. It's not the opposition that causing the economic decay in this country,” she said.

On the question of Cayetano Paderanga about planned legislation for spreading economic development to the rural sector, Senator Edgardo Angara pointed to the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act, improvement of education, creation of a competitive commission for small and medium enterprises, and the strengthening of the financial system.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, who is running as an independent, said the budget -- “the single most important piece of legislation that we must pass every year” -- should reflect the priorities of the government.

On Benjamin Diokno's question about raising investor confidence, Roco said: “Unfortunately, confidence cannot be legislated. Public trust cannot be legislated.”

To the same question, Miguel Zubiri of TEAM Unity said the answer was hard work.

Luis Singson, also of TEAM Unity, said peace and order were the keys to sustaining the current economic growth of the country. “Without peace and order, there can be no investment, no tourists,” he said.

Michael Defensor of TEAM Unity enumerated the economic achievements of the government: a more stable peso from P56 in 2001 to P48 against the dollar in 2007, lower interest rate from 16 percent in 2001 to 6 percent in 2007, inflation rate of 3.9 percent, etc. He said the health and education sectors needed more help.

Before the panel discussion, Coseteng said she came on the invitation of friends. She said that as she did not have the money for television advertisements, she did not want to miss the opportunity to air her ideas on economy, the main topic of the debate.

Defensor criticized the GO for boycotting the debate. He said this could only mean that the opposition does not have a clear platform on the economy.

“With the economy moving forward, that's not good for us...It also shows that they are not united,” he said.

Roco was late, but Zubiri came later.

Susing Pineda, one of the organizers who gave the opening remarks, said it was unfortunate for GO to forgo the debate.

Originally posted at 02:04 pm

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