CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – President Arroyo justified her trip to Libya – the latest in a string of sometimes controversial foreign travels – saying it was part of her administration’s effort to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.
“I just arrived from Libya which is a key ally that strengthens our paradigm for peace in Mindanao. Libya has always stood by us,” the President said in her speech yesterday before mayors from Mindanao belonging to the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).
“Libya has significantly helped in bringing peace and hope in Mindanao,” Mrs. Arroyo said, adding that Libyan president Muammar Qaddafi “is a leader in the entire Africa where there are many Muslim countries.”
She said he would also be “of great help in our forming deeper relations with countries including Brunei and Japan which together with Libya comprise our international monitoring team on the ceasefire.”
The President also reported that she met with officials of the Qaddafi Foundation which plans to invest in Mindanao to help in the government’s poverty alleviation efforts. She noted that six of the country’s poorest provinces are in Mindanao, identifying them as Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, and Lanao del Sur.
“During our first terrorist crisis in 2002 in Dos Palmas, I talked to President Qaddafi and he asked what help we wanted.” She was referring to the kidnapping by Abu Sayyaf bandits of mostly foreign tourists at the Dos Palmas resort in Palawan.
The President said she told Qaddafi that she wanted to fight the terrorists but within her government’s no ransom policy.
“He said he would help and he has been helping since then,” Mrs. Arroyo noted.
The President flew to Libya last Aug. 31 on Qaddafi’s invitation to attend the 40th anniversary of the Libyan revolution.
She also attended the African Union Summit. The 53-member African Union is the premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the African continent. Libya chairs the organization.
Potshots
In her speech, the President also boasted that the country is “ready for economic rebound” and took potshots at her predecessors.
“I am quite bullish about our prospects for solid recovery,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
The President said the economic stability has enabled her administration to complete projects in Mindanao, including the Pagadian-Zamboanga road.
She noted that the road “is supposed to be the longest road because it took the previous administration so long to build so little, but we were able to complete it.”
She also said mayors now get their share in the Internal Revenue Allotment on time unlike in “past administrations.”
“During the past administration, you could not even get your IRA,” she said, apparently referring to the administration of ousted President Joseph Estrada who reportedly plans to run for president again in next year’s polls.
“We even paid IRAs owed you by past administrations. The higher the VAT (value added tax), the higher the IRA. So this year, you participated in the biggest VAT increase in history, about P40 billion for the local government,” she said.
“Also we should remember the situation now compared with 2001. Now, surrounding countries are experiencing difficulties, but we are progressing,” she said.
”What we said before about the need to strengthen the economy through tax reforms was proven right in this recession that showed our economy has remained stable and strong,” she said. “Growth in second quarter this year is better than growth in first quarter, inflation is one of the lowest, almost zero, in our history,” the President also said.