Officials and selected residents of Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental generally reacted positively to the ninth and final State-Of-The-Nation-Address delivered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the joint session of Congress yesterday.

Local officials said that Arroyo, while having so many accomplishments to speak, still has a lot to do before she ends her term in June 2010.

“I congratulate President Arroyo for a job well done. It is undeniable that she has done a lot for the country, however, work continues and she has to lead the way,” Dumaguete Mayor Agustin Perdices, who was among the mayors from Negros Oriental who attended the SONA, said.

Perdices exhorted politicians and the public to work together and give Arroyo the support she needs between now and June 30 next year for her administration to reach its goals.

“We have to be united, let us put politics aside first and not think of the 2010 elections. We have to work together,” Perdices said.

Meanwhile, Rep. George Arnaiz (Neg.Or, 2nd District) expressed optimism that the Philippine economy will be able to rebound by the first quarter of next year.

He said the Philippines is lucky that while other countries have been hit hard by the global economic meltdown, Filipinos do not feel the impact as much.

Arnaiz attributed this to the economic policies that the Arroyo administration had put in place, adding that the economic policies of Arroyo will certainly benefit the next president of the Philippines.

He cited as an example former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who, he said, was “unpopular” but whose successors benefited from her administration’s policies.

Arnaiz also said he hopes Arroyo will put in more money on her education programs and go for full reforestation in response to the global war against climate change.

“Of all the presidents (of the Philippines) combined, nobody has ever done as much as President Arroyo, especially on infrastructure and the economy,” Arnaiz said.

To the detractors and critics of the Arroyo administration, Arnaiz said they should tone down or be constructive in their criticisms against her.

“President Arroyo should be given the credit due her,” he added.

Dr. Ben Malayang III, president of Silliman University in Dumaguete, said that, in general, he welcomes any effort to address issues on the environment, specifically on threats as a result of climate change.

“What matters most is what will actually be done and if the measures are substantive rather than symbolic,” he said.

He also said he hopes that government can address the more serious and persistent effects of environmental threats to human security.

Meanwhile, those who responded to interviews on the President’s SONA expressed joy at her orders to the National Telecommunications Commission to act on complaints against telecommunications companies on drop calls and lost e-loads.

Maria Lou Catibod said she is neutral when it comes to politics, but thanked the President for directing the DOTC to take action against drop calls and other similar complaints raised against telecommunications service providers.

Jojo Amigo, a technician who works for a cable company, describes it as “outright theft of people’s money”.

Jimmyline Gallarde also lauded the President for boosting employment opportunities in the country by attracting investors such as business process outsourcing companies.

“As a fresh graduate, I am thankful to President Arroyo as I have landed a job immediately,” said Gallarde, who works for a call center here.*JFP

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