Only GMA benefited from trips, not RP—Imee
IN ALL her official foreign trips since she assumed office in January 2001, only the President benefited from these “image-building diplomacy” and not the Philippine economy as her administration claims to be. Rep. Imee R. Marcos (2nd district, Ilocos Norte) said that contrary to what Palace spin doctors publicize, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s trips abroad were all for the chief executive’s political makeover. “Puro pang ganda points lang…” Marcos said, noting that the President’s recently concluded none-day travel is nothing but a PR strategy to enhance her sagging repute amongst world leaders. According to Marcos, Arroyo’s trips are actually a “PR mission” with an objective to “deodorize” whatever negative image was painted on her by international media and non-government advocacy groups. “It is very clear that the focus and emphasis of Mrs. Arroyo’s presence in the Asia-Europe meeting is to seize the opportunity to brag to her foreign counterparts that she was able to survive the political storm in the Philippines from the Hello Garci scandal, to charges of electoral fraud, to jueteng, to military unrest, to German bank accounts, to political killings, etc.,” Marcos stated. She noted that the President’s international PR firm, Burson-Marsteller, did a wonderful job in projecting Arroyo as a strong and tough leader by showing footages highlighting the President conversing with heads of state, and by endowing each of her trip with a sales pitch that the country’s economy is “taking off.” “I assume that Burson-Marsteller was paid a handsome multi-million dollar sum to do Mrs. Arroyo’s makeover during her five-nation swing,” Marcos remarked, adding that the PR firm’s job is to make Arroyo look good and put her in the headlines and prime time news. “But the one million dollar question is: Sino ba ang nakinabang sa mga biyahe ng pangulo?” asked Marcos. She cited the mega-treaty Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA)—which is supposed to open the door for trade and investment opportunities beneficial for the Philippines but in reality will make the country Japan’s dumpsite for toxic materials—as part of the image-building strategy. “The Filipinos can no longer be fooled. Malacañang keeps on saying that the President has attracted foreign investments—but where are the investors? Where are the jobs? Where is the money? Marami pa rin ang naghihirap na kababayans natin! What we have are press releases,” Marcos said.
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