In his second State of the Nation address, Aquino outlined a range of social plans from better health care and a proper pension system for soldiers to adequate compensation for Martial Law victims.
He also announced the appointment of a retired Supreme Court associate justice as head of the anti-graft agency Office of the Ombudsman, a clear signal he wants corrupt government officials to face charges in court.
“When the new Ombudsman, former Supreme Court Justice Conchita
Carpio-Morales, takes office, we will have an honest-to-goodness
anti-corruption office, not one that condones the corruption and abuses
in government,” Aquino said in his speech delivered in Filipino.
“I expect this year we will file corruption charges against all those who had connived with one another to steal money from government and lead us to this situation,” he told lawmakers sitting in a joint session.
“Some of my critics say that I take this campaign against corruption personally,” said Aquino, the only son of democracy heroine Cory Aquino. “It should be personal for all of us, because we have all been victimized by corruption.”
He said funds for rice imports, elections especially in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, state gaming firm and toll way firm, and road contracts of the public works agency were all tainted by graft.
Aquino said he would level the playing field for investors. But he did not mention his government’s flagship public-private partnership (PPP) scheme aimed at tapping private investors to upgrade and develop the country’s creaking infrastructure.
But analysts said his announcements fell short of expectations for economic development, with the country just one notch away from investment grade status.
“Aquino fell short of (meeting) his agenda and people’s expectations that he will lay down his economic blueprint. It only served to reinforce the idea that he lacks vision,” said Joselito Zulueta, analyst on church issues and lecturer at the University of Santo Tomas.
“One year is short for the president to do some house cleaning, but he should start delivering on his promises because he can abuse the patience of the Filipino people,” Zulueta said.
Aquino’s net satisfaction rating fell in the second quarter but remains strongly positive, based on the latest opinion poll by the Social Weather Stations last month, amid criticism his administration has been lackluster in its first year in office.
Aquino said 140 firms were interested in participating in a state tender for 15 oil and gas exploration contracts requiring total investment of at least $7.5 billion. Manila, which aims to lessen its dependence on imported fuel, expects to award the contracts early next year.
Aquino was swept to power last year by an electorate energized by his anti-corruption platform and nostalgia for his mother who died in August 2009.
