House Minority Floor Leader Francis "Chiz" Escudero yesterday denied that the opposition is the reason why the country has failed to move forward.

"If at all, someone should be blamed for the instability the country is suffering from, I think we should look at what the administration has done or is doing," he said.

At a press conference in Bacolod City, Escudero, who is running for the Senate under the Genuine Opposition ticket, was reacting to the call of President Gloria Arroyo for the opposition not to hurt but to work with the administration in building up the economy. It is not the opposition that cheated in 2004, stole from the government, abused the use of power, and failed to follow the laws, Escudero said.

"The call not to hurt the economy should be addressed to the administration and not to the opposition," he said.

"The opposition's position has been simple in so far as what we say and do in Congress in concerned - We say yes ma'am when it is right and no ma'am when it is wrong," he said.

On the other hand, the allies of the president in the House and Senate say yes ma'am whether she is right or wrong, which distinguishes the opposition from the administration, he said.

The Genuine Opposition is for transparency in government, he said.

Can the administration claim that they are for transparency in government? he asked.

He also said the opposition is for the protection of human rights that is why they continue to bewail and condemn the unhampered political killings going on in the country.

Escudero also pointed out that the administration is clearly focusing on macro, not micro economics.

"They content themselves with the fact that paper indicators are telling them that economy is good and healthy," he said, but asked Are the people better off now than they were the year before?

"Any sitting president must do four things in order to turn this country around -- inspire our people to reach new heights, serve and lead by example, follow the law and implement the law," he said, which he said Arroyo has failed to do.

The opposition will concentrate not only on macro but micro economics, he said, but more particularly on the trickle down effect on the people, he also said.

"We would like to concentrate on the human development index rather than the marco economic index," he said.

He said the candidates of the Genuine Opposition will be the true voice of the people in the Senate.

Escudero said that, while the Genuine Opposition does not have the money the administration has for its senatorial line up, in elections it is not money but the people who vote.

On the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference to safeguard the vote, Escudero said that safeguarding the votes, and ensuring clean and honest elections, is a collective responsibility of the Filipino people.

"We have seen what a dirty election can do to our economy and our country. I hope the administration has learned its lesson…(and) will make it their duly sworn duty to uphold to ensure clean elections," he said.

Any sitting president must do four things in order to turn this country around -- inspire our people to reach new heights, serve and lead by example, follow the law and implement the law, he also said.

ON CARP

Meanwhile, Escudero said there is a need to review of the effectiveness Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program before any decision in made on its extension beyond 2008.

"We must review it with the view of proving to our people that it can and will work," he said.

He said a lot of land has been bought by the administration but farmer beneficiaries have not been given adequate assistance to succeed in tilling their own land, and landowners have not been paid.*CPG

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