CNN is reporting that the Philippines has shown the highest growth in Asia this year with the Philippine stock market up 35% over the same time last year, with marked increases in local investment like housing and business, tourism (5.5 million expected this year), infrastructure improvements ($18 Billion US) as well as reductions in corruption and tax evasion. Aquino is seen internationally as a light at the end of the tunnel, showing up in Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. A couple weeks ago, during a visit to Dumaguete, he accused the Governor, Roel Degamo, and Mayor, Manuel Sagarbarria, of filtering money out of the Provincial hospital project and the Php 480 Million Sendong Calamity fund. With the upcoming mid-term elections on May 13th, here in Negros, President Aquino has convinced Josy Limkaichong, a local Congresswoman, to run for Governor against Degamo and he is supporting Alan Cordoba for Mayor (a nice guy from a poor family that got a military scholarship and ended up eventually studying at Westpoint, being top in his class). Running for Vice-Mayor with the same party, the Philippine Liberal Party, Atty. Joe Kenneth Arbas is another young, intelligent and well educated candidate. All three of these people have spoken out for improvements in local tourism and have vowed to take on the fight against corruption in the provincial and municipal government. Of course, this all sounds too good to be true, but I think they deserve a chance. It would be refreshing to see some of the typical political dinosaurs from the old "family politics" era get ousted and replaced by some of these younger, more educated and worldly candidates! Oooops, hope I don't get shot over my comments, haha.
Interestingly, 30 international observers are being deployed to monitor the conduct of the elections and to ensure fairness. They are drawn from 16 different countries, including some from such strong and stable democracies, with a history of peaceful untainted elections, as Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma and Afghanistan. Good selection, huh?:p
Aquinos are getting their way in... :-). Cant wait for the sister of pnoy kris aquino to run as the vice president and surely itll be a start of the family's political dynasty, ill sit back and just enjoy the show. Itll be fun to watch a rockstar president and a drama queen vice president. It'll be more fun in the philippines. Like the sopies. Lol
Yes, G.W. and his clan.. would fit in well here in the RofP. On the nutritionist thing if you're willing to pay a decent fee I might be able to help, pm me.
