Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
Former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo lashed out on Tue, Jul 28, saying President Noynoy Aquino lied about his accomplishments on solving problems in the education sector. “Grabe, what a liar about textbooks and classrooms,” he said, a day after President Aquino delivered his sixth and last State of the Nation Address.
Aquino earlier said the Department of Education was able to address the need for 61.7 million textbooks and 2.5 million chairs in the first two years of his term.
He said a backlog of 66,800 classrooms and 145,827 teachers was addressed in 2013 through the help of local government unit partners. He said government hired 29,444 teachers in 2014 and is eyeing another 39,000 teachers hired this year.
The President also defended the implementation of the K-12 program.
Meanwhile, Mr. Arroyo criticized the President for again blaming his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, for many of the country’s woes.
“He doesn’t have any accomplishment, that’s why. It shows he has no accomplishments. What he is saying is inaccurate. He even uses unknown people to lift himself. So self serving. All propaganda, no meat,” he said.
Aquino earlier reminded the public about the various corruption scandals and allegations against Arroyo including the NBN-ZTE deal, the fertilizer fund scandal, her midnight appointments, and the “Hello, Garci” wiretapping scandal that showed alleged cheating in the 2004 presidential election.
Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras, meanwhile, said the President talked about Arroyo because he wanted to show what kind of government he was inheriting from the previous administration.
He also said the Aquino administration’s help for the province of Pampanga shows that the President is not vindictive against Arroyo.
No less than Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda praised Aquino for expanding the coverage of Philhealth to help more poor people.
Pineda is a known ally of Mrs. Arroyo.
In a video showed during the SONA, Pineda said that the province was able to save up to PHP400 million after Philhealth decided to cover the medical expenses of the poor.
She said the funds were used to construct birthing stations, health centers and even a district hospital.
The former first gentleman said Pineda’s statement does not mean she has already switched sides.
“No, she hasn’t deserted (GMA),” he said.
Text: RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Photo: News clip
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
