With the sun setting for Arroyo’s administration, its a high time on how we could analyze and evaluate the nine years of management of the state. The book “Beating the Odds” by Renato Velasco and Ricardo Saludo, analyzes the policy-implementation of the Arroyo administration in managing the archipelago nation for almost a decade. Leaving the fiasco of a’la telenovela political drama, the book turns into the policies in political, fiscal and social sectors that served as a guide throughout the rest of the administration, which in turn, may be used as a reference for the future administrations to come.
The Republic of the Philippines has long endured political and social trials, since the time of the colonial era, all the way to the contemporary period. Despite all of these challenges that Filipinos encounter on day to day basis, they still find themselves resilient and go forth with their heads up high. In 2001, the country fell into significant change of tides as Gloria Arroyo, daughter of a former Philippine president, was installed in power by a bloodless revolt. In 2004, she was then again elected as the chief of state. With her nine years closing, managing a country that is so divided in poverty, corruption, sleeping with the enemy and the threat of our national coffers running kaput, how did she and her administration managed to “beat the odds” of a seemingly fragile republic?
The book discusses six issues that mired the republic. Six things that was dealt with within this administration. However, the most significant were that of peace and order process in Mindanao and of budget management.
Mindanao has been a long standing issue in terms of peace and development of the republic. A leader that would be able to pacify the restlessness in this region could provide development alongside tracking down of terrorists that plagued the island for the long time. Two chapters of the book dealt with confronting terrorism and how the administration was able to maintain its pacifist stand for development of Minadnao while tracking down terrorists.
On the other hand, the Arroyo administration claims that its best legacy was the effective budget and fiscal management of the republic. We all do know that we were swamped with foreign debt and an unstable economy that harbours poverty within the state, however, it was within this nine years that the gross domestic product rose with consistency, increasing jobs and made the country a better place for investment. A chapter analyzes the socio-economic impact of the policies that was implemented by the administration.
As the dawn of a new administration unfolds, the Filipinos would look onto future with a clear and better vision, together with hope. However, it wouldn’t be complete if the Filipinos somehow would not look into the past. There is an old Filipino maxim, “ang di marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, ay di makakarating sa parorooan.” Despite the “primetime political drama” that was, it is high time for the Pinoys to study the policies that the outgoing administration left in order to secure the progressive future for the future. Reading “Beating the Odds” is one way to start.
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