Sona 2011
The 2011 State of the Nation Address Technical Report
INTRODUCTION “Tuwid na Daan” or the Straight Path is a phrase repeatedly mentioned by President Benigno S. Aquino III to pertain to his governance direction for the country. Essential to this concept of “Tuwid na Daan” is the battle cry “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap.” The administration believes that corruption is the root cause of the country‘s woes, and eliminating corruption will necessarily lead to renewed investor confidence, eventual growth and development, poverty reduction, and attainment of peace. The straight path, however, does not only pertain to the President‘s anti-corruption campaign. It also encompasses a way of doing things right, where the process is participatory; the programs are holistic; growth is sustained; the peace policy is comprehensive; and development is sustainable. Through the living examples of our leaders, led by the President, this re-awakened sense of right and wrong continues to be translated to economic value. It is in this light that the accomplishments of the Aquino Administration, since the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2010, are being highlighted: A. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ANTI-CORRUPTION Taking the initial step in the achievement of ―Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap‖, where eradicating corruption is seen as the key approach to development, President Aquino laid the foundations for a clean, transparent, and responsive government. Key reforms continue to be instituted to reduce red tape, enforce anti-corruption and anti-red tape laws, and penalize those who violate these laws. The government is also fixing the incentive structures to recognize merit and reward good performance with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of the Aquino reform agenda. These and other initiatives are presented below: 1. Institutionalizing Public Accountability 1.1. Reforming the budgeting and project identification processes 1.1.1. Government‘s prudent expenditure
INTRODUCTION “Tuwid na Daan” or the Straight Path is a phrase repeatedly mentioned by President Benigno S. Aquino III to pertain to his governance direction for the country. Essential to this concept of “Tuwid na Daan” is the battle cry “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap.” The administration believes that corruption is the root cause of the country‘s woes, and eliminating corruption will necessarily lead to renewed investor confidence, eventual growth and development, poverty reduction, and attainment of peace. The straight path, however, does not only pertain to the President‘s anti-corruption campaign. It also encompasses a way of doing things right, where the process is participatory; the programs are holistic; growth is sustained; the peace policy is comprehensive; and development is sustainable. Through the living examples of our leaders, led by the President, this re-awakened sense of right and wrong continues to be translated to economic value. It is in this light that the accomplishments of the Aquino Administration, since the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2010, are being highlighted: A. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ANTI-CORRUPTION Taking the initial step in the achievement of ―Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap‖, where eradicating corruption is seen as the key approach to development, President Aquino laid the foundations for a clean, transparent, and responsive government. Key reforms continue to be instituted to reduce red tape, enforce anti-corruption and anti-red tape laws, and penalize those who violate these laws. The government is also fixing the incentive structures to recognize merit and reward good performance with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of the Aquino reform agenda. These and other initiatives are presented below: 1. Institutionalizing Public Accountability 1.1. Reforming the budgeting and project identification processes 1.1.1. Government‘s prudent expenditure