MA.

JESSA ABO JEAN CLAUDINE DUMALAON

JORELLE ALBA MICHELLE ANN LUKBAN

KAJAL CHONKRIA KIMBERLY ANN SUMAGUE

VIELLA MARIE CORTEZ

BRIEF BACKGROUND

• Born on April 5, 1947

• Served the Philippines as a president from 2001 to 2010.
• 2nd female president to serve the Philippines next to Corazon Aquino
CULTURAL
Cordillera People Demand Presidential Ouster

• The indigenous people protested on the mining plan and mineral exploration of president
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to establish foreign companies in their area. Cordillera region
condemned Arroyo by economic dislocation and human rights violation since her plan can
deteriorate their natural resources, lands and customs.
• It states that mining in cordillera is an opportunity given that it can attract foreign
investments. Aside from that Arroyo affirm that it cannot affect the environment instead it
has an economic return for the community especially to the indigenous people.
• Nevertheless, according to CPA Mining has already damage their land, must need a wider
plan
• Arroyo provide an access for foreign mining regarding on the sources of water of the
cordillera people. Reason why the watershed in their community is missing.

POLITICS

• Macapagal-Arroyo declared in December 2002 that she would not contest the May 2004
presidential election, but she reversed herself in October 2003 and decided to run. She was
reelected and sworn in for her own six-year term as president on June 30, 2004. With this
new mandate, she was able to move with greater assurance on the political and economic
reform agenda that had stalled during her first term in office, but ultimately she got bogged
down by corruption charges and her second term is remembered most for the numerous
attempts to impeach her.
• Arroyo was elected as president in a June 2004. This was the first time that she was elected
to the office. She initially became president in 2001 after Estrada was ousted not through
an election. Arroyo said changed her mind to run for president because the lack of decent
candidates made it her duty to run.
POLITICAL ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES DURING ARROYO’S PRESIDENCY:
Oakwood Mutiny/ Manila Peninsula Rebellion

• The Manila Peninsula Rebellion was a rebellion in the Philippines on November 29, 2007.
• A group composing of more than 300 fully armed soldiers took over Oakwood Premier in
Ayala, Makati City. The soldiers were led by Navy Ltsg. Antonio Trillanes IV, Army Capt.
Gerardo Gambala, Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, Navy Ltsg. James Layug and Marine
Capt. Gary Alejano. The group called themselves the new “katipuneros” but they were
dubbed y the media as the “magdalo” soldiers. They claim that the taking over of the
Oakwood Premier in Makati was spontaneous, and that their goal was only to be able to
air their grievances and complaints about the corruption in the military and in the
government. They also stated that the saw signs that GMA was going to declare martial
law.
• One of the accusations made by the soldiers was that the Arroyo administration was selling
arms and ammunitions to the enemy forces. These enemy forces include the MILF and the
Abu Sayyaf. Also they claim that Arroyo issued the order to bomb Davao City so that
Arroyo would be able to ask the United States of America for anti-terrorist support. Arroyo
also planned to bomb several areas in Metro Manila so that she could declare martial law.
• Some of the grievances include general cases like the corruption of the government and its
officials, low salaries of soldiers and the difference of salaries between the AFP soldiers
and the Air Force Pilots, insufficient supply of medicines in the army and the powerful
“comptroller” family who is enjoying promotions and positions and are manipulating funds
and that the government funds for the soldiers never or seldom reach them. The bloodless
mutiny ended after 18 hours. The soldiers surrendered as they failed to rally support from
the public. All the 300 soldiers were arrested and charged in the general court martial.
Hello Garci Controversy

• The Hello “Garci” Controversy is about wiretapped recordings of Gloria Macapagal

Arroyo’s conversations with COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio Garcilliano. The
conversations was about rigging or cheating the 2004 national elections. Former NBI
Deputy Director Samuel Ong released the wiretapped tapes; he also claimed that he had
the “mother of all tapes” which was released a few days later. The National
Telecommunications Commission initially banned the playing of the tapes in the media,
and threatened that any media group who plays the tapes will be forced to close. The tape
was then allowed by the Supreme Court to be aired by the media with a vote of 9 – 6, this
was against the NTC’s decision.
• In the tape a woman who sounds like Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was talking to Virgilio
“Garci” Garcilliano about by how many votes she would win in her run for the presidency.
In the conversation she asked if she would win by a million votes and Garci replied that
she will; coincidentally or suspiciously she did win by over a million votes in the 2004
 presidential elections. GMA admitted that she was the woman in the wiretapped
conversations but said that she only talked to Garci after the counting has been done. She
also aired on national television her apology to the public for her “lapse in judgement”. She
was sorry
• Virgilio Garcilliano’s whereabouts were unknown right after the Hello Garci tapes came
out. There were even some rumors that he was able to escape the country. 5 Months later
he resurfaced and admitted that he was the one talking to GMA in the tapes but the
conversation took place after the counting of votes had been done. He also denied that
GMA instructed him to cheat in the 2004 national elections. The issue created a lot of
tension and anger in the public. GMA survived the storm; this issue was the biggest issue
that threatened her presidency. Until now the issue has not yet been solved, and no one has
been punished.
Proclamation 1017 2006 State Of Emergency

• On February 24, 2006, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo used her emergency powers
and issued Proclamation 1017 “claiming an alliance of soldiers, opposition politicians and
communist rebels were plotting to overthrow her. The proclamation was called a “state of
national emergency” and was similar to Martial Law primarily because she will be able to
order arrests without warrants. The President cited Section 18, Article 7 of the Constitution
which empowers the President to “call out (the) Armed Forces to prevent or suppress
rebellion, to ensure that there will be no rebellion or violent coup attempts. and Section 17,
Article 12 of the Charter authorizing her to “temporarily take over or direct the operation
of any privately-owned public utility or business affected with public interest.” She also
ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to maintain law and order throughout the
Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence, as well as any act of
insurrection or rebellion, and to enforce obedience to all the laws and to all decrees, orders
and regulations [she had] promulgated personally or upon [her] direction
• The President appeared on television to announce Proclamation No. 1017, which she
signed after meeting with the National Security Council attended by top Cabinet and
military officials in Malacañang.
Impeachment Complaints

• In 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, impeachment complaints were filed against President
Arroyo although none of the cases reached the required endorsement of 1/3 of the members
for transmittal to and trial by the Senate. On October 13, 2008, the 4th 97-page
impeachment complaint against President Arroyo was filed at the House of Representatives
with the required endorsements by Party list Representatives Satur Ocampo, Teodoro
Casiño and Liza Maza. The complaint accuses Arroyo of corruption, extrajudicial killings,
torture and illegal arrests. The impeachment further raised the issues on "national
broadband network agreement with China, human rights violations, the Northrail project,
 the Mt. Diwalwal project, fertilizer fund scam, alleged bribery of members of the House,
the swine scam under the Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation, and 2004 electoral fraud.

EFFECTS OF THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS TO THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

One of the cultural issues is about the Cordillera People Demand Presidential Ouster. The
indigenous people of Cordillera region disagreed about the mining plan and mineral exploration
because it can deteriorate their natural resources, lands and customs. For Arroyo, she said that it
won’t have a negative impact on the environment and can even attract tourists but mining has
already damaged their land.

The political issue, the Oakwood Mutiny / Manila Peninsula Rebellion was about the
corruption of the government and its officials have negative impacts especially to the soldiers due
to low salaries in which they sometimes or never receive it. and the difference of salaries between
the AFP soldiers and the Air Force Pilots, insufficient supply of medicines in the army. The
soldiers just want to have a fair treatment in the army.
The Hello Garci Controversy where the wiretapped recordings of GMA’s conversations
had brought tension and anger to public because it was about the rigging or cheating the 2004
elections, which led to NTC banned playing tapes in the media and even threatened media groups.
Whoever play tapes will be forced close. However, the Supreme court allowed to be aired by the
media, in which NTC was totally against with this. This issue is said to be the biggest issue that
threatened GMA’s presidency.

The issue about Proclamation 1017 2006 state of emergency which was similar to Martial
Law primarily because GMA will be able to order arrests without warrants. The FMA (Foundation
Media Alternatives) said that the irony that the Proclamation "has already been used as a weapon
against the citizens’right to peaceably assemble, and in fact became the basis to arrest peaceful
marchers commemorating the 20th anniversary of the EDSA People Power I revolt". APC
(Association for Progressive Communications) said it was "most disturbed" as a a civil society
organization that promotes communication rights as essential to any democratic society by the fact
that the Proclamation 1017 "poses a clear threat to freedom of expression, media freedom, and
other civil liberties essential for exercising the right to communicate". It argued that the right to
communicate flows from the various rights which give citizens and communities the freedom to
use the social communication processes available to them in order to construct a socio-political
order which embodies their highest democratic ideals.

The impeachment further raised the issues on "national broadband network agreement with
China, human rights violations, the Northrail project, the Mt. Diwalwal project, fertilizer fund
scam, alleged bribery of members of the House, the swine scam under the Rural Credit Guarantee
Corporation, and 2004 electoral fraud.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES
SOCIAL ISSUES

Corruption

• President gloria Macapagal arroyo is the most corrupt president of the Philippines
• Corruption became the primary problem of the Philippines.
Corruption scandals during the Arroyo Administration in the last seven years have cost the
Filipinos around 7.3 billion pesos With at least six corruption cases so far, President Arroyo has
now been considered the most corrupt president in the Philippines Corruption has given benefit to
the arroyo administration while it continues to worsen the condition of the Philippines specifically
contribute more to poverty and leads to a problem in all the institutions of the Philippines including
the criminal justice system specifically the police, prosecutorial and judicial organs.
Poverty

• Poverty has continued to rise even by the government’s low official poverty line. The
number of poor families increased by 530,642 or 13% since 2000 to reach 4.7 million in
2006.
• The number of poor Filipinos increased by 2.1 million over that same period to reach 27.6
million.
Poverty is most rampant in the rural areas of the Philippines. the rate of poverty in rural areas is
much higher than urban area. The rural poor are the unemployed or self-employed in agriculture
or only casual labor who are landless. it has worsened because of high inflation and unemployment.
The Philippines has not yet surpassed poverty unlike neighboring countries like Vietnam,
Thailand, and Indonesia who are rapidly reducing poverty at present.

Unemployment

• The period 2001-2009 is the longest period of high unemployment in the country’s history
with the true unemployment rate averaging some 11.2% (correcting for the government’s
not counting millions of jobless Filipinos as unemployed since 2005).
• The number of jobless and underemployed Filipinos grew to 11.4 million in January 2010
which is 3.1 million more than in January 2001, when Pres. Arroyo came to power.
President Arroyo promised to create 10 million jobs from 2004-2010 but didn’t reach this target.
A lot of decent jobs in the manufacturing sector disappeared and more less secure jobs emerged.
Since unemployment, poverty and hunger go together, this just shows the failure of the Philippine
social-protection program who doesn’t provide enough protection for the less fortunate and
unemployed. All these three have worsened under the Arroyo Administration.
ECONOMIC ISSUES
North Rail Project Anomaly

• Since 1997 it was very controversial it was when arroyo signed an agreement to build
a rail line Connecting Caloocan to Clark which is the economic zone.

Arroyo signed a Memorandum of agreement with Sinomach and other contractors in 2004, to
construct a rail line from Caloocan to Clark Special Economic Zone once to be completed in 2010.
Many senators and Congressman opposed the project it would cost around US$500 million, this
has led to corruption in the Arroyo Team and herself as well. This project has gone through
cancellation and it was finally cancelled on March 11, 2011 because no plans and there were no
substitute foreign support to continue the project.

Where is the railroad? In 2008, after the government spent nearly P11 billion for the North Luzon
railway, “The government has advanced $150 million to the Chinese contractor. At the present
exchange rate, that is more than P6.8 billion. The clearing of squatters along the railroad has cost
taxpayers at least P4 billion. In all, expenses have reached a staggering P10.8 billion.
Fertilizer Scam Fund

• March 2004- gloria Macapagal Arroyo was accused of vote buying, using the fund to
be use for fertilizers.
In March 2004, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was accused of vote buying by Authorizing the release
of Php 728 million the money was supposedly to be used for the purchase of fertilizers which
would be distributed to the local officials. But after a year there were some team reported that some
farmers claimed that they did not receive fertilizers from the funds released by the Department of
Agriculture. A special report was also released that the billions of farm funds were used to fund
the presidential campaign of Arroyo.

EFFECT OF THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUE

As a whole, the effect of the social and economic issue is like a domino effect from the
government to its citizens. That includes the president, its government official and its citizens. If
the president or government official steal money from the fund of a particular project that project
might have a problem in the future. Like what happened in the north rail project, where arroyo’s
administration borrow a loan from the China which is approximately $500 Million. This loan was
being questionable (kung saan napunta ang pera na to), and this project was being interrupted. The
effect of this on the Philippines is that it’s just a waste of money in paying this loan to China even
though this project was suspend. No Filipino were not able use this railways that can really help
them to save more time going to their destination which is from Manila to Bulacan. Another
example is the fertilizer fund scam, were most affected on this issue are the farmers. This fertilizer
fund was used for the election of President Gloria Arroyo. This fund is the only way to get fertilizer
for free for the farmers. So if there is no fertilizer that they will be ussing on their crops there
business or income will be also affected by this. Because they use this fertilizer to have nutrients
to the growth there crops. While the effect of the corruption, poverty and unemployment to the
Philippines is due to its increasing numbers of percentage of having no jobs and a corrupt president.
The effect of having a corrupt president really affects the whole economy. Because the president
are the one who get investors to other country in order to have an opportunity for its citizens.
Arroys’ administration was having a huge challenge to gain the trust of their fellow citizen as well
as the investors coming from other countries due to its very low revenue that time. So if there is
no investors there would be no opportunities for Filipino to have their jobs.

Cited Problems Recommendations

Cultural
Cordillera people • Republic Act No. 8371
demand Presidential • Strengthen environmental sustainability of mining activities
Ouster • Settlement of property dispute before implementing
economic and political activities
Political
Oakwood Mutiny • Negotiation with government panel and military personnel
Proclamation 1017 2006 • Imposed peace talk
State of Emergency
Impeachment Complaint • Judiciary branch should be strong and independent
(Hello, Garci Scandal)
Economic
North Rail Project • The project should be given to one privatized agency to
minimize corruption
Fertilizer Fund Scam • Fertilizer fund must be handed over to the public directly
Social
Unemployment • Provide more government assistance and job opportunity
Poverty • Increased job opportunity, government employment
programs
Corruption • Promote transparency
• Reform public administration
It cannot be denied that for every administration, there has always been a controversy.
Cultural
Cordillera people demand presidential ouster- As stated earlier, this issue emerge due to Arroyo’s
political and economic activities in the region within the proximity of the indigenous people’s land
violating their rights to ancestral lands, customs and tradition. With that case, recommendation
include filing a lawsuit against the Arroyo under Republic Act No. 8371 of 1997 which is an act
protecting the rights of indigenous communities. Second, Strengthen environmental sustainability
of mining activities. This can be imposed to minimize land disturbance and henceforth prevent
detrimental effect in case of calamity and to have a proper measure to make it environmentally
sustainable. Third, is Settlement of property dispute before implementing economic and political
activities. Since the political and economic activities is done on the claimed land property of the
indigenous people, it is best to settle issue between two parties to resolve and create an agreement
on the approaches and outcomes on the activities of the government.

Political
Oakwood mutiny- Mutiny means a rebellion against authority. What happened in the oakwood
mutiny is that the military raised mutiny against Arroyo’s administration because of the corruption
on the salaries and funds intended for the military. This could be resolve if there is a negotiation
with government panel and the military personnel. A good negotiation contributes to reach an
agreement that would result to mutual benefits and understanding of both parties involved.

Proclamation 1017 2006 State of emergency- A state of emergency is not imposed not unless if it
affects the security of the country just like what we have today due to health concerns. Since
rebellion is concerned during this time, a peace talk is proposed between both parties involve to
build peace and resolve conflict.
Impeachment complaint- Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo’s administration is also one of the most
controversial administration in the Philippines that led to her impeachment for 5 times. One of the
most significant factors for this impeachment is the “Hello Garci Scandal” about the electoral vote
fraud result of Arroyo’s presidency. She apologizes and this is during this issue that Arroyo’s “I
am sorry” became famous. Unfortunately, she was not impeached and her term just ended. Since
the impeachment process was held 5 times, judiciary branch should be strong and independent so
that the president won’t manipulate their decision and to have a fair due process to gain justice and
therefore successfully impeach Arroyo.
Economic
The north rail project during her administration was not finished due to corruption of fund. But
today, Duterte’s administration finished the long-planned project. With this, the project should be
given to one privatized agency to minimize corruption. During her term, DPWH is one of the most
corrupt government agencies. Projects today such as MRT and skyway are built by private agency.
Therefore, a national project can be fully implemented if it will be given to one privatized agency
to minimize corruption on funds and benefit the citizens of the country.
Fertilizer fund scam amounting 728 million pesos- As a solution, the fertilizer fund must be handed
over to the public directly. Because whenever the fund undergoes several political officers, the
amount of fund is reduced gradually before it reached to the hand of the farmers.
Social

Unemployment and poverty- This is still a problem specially today during the widespread of virus
that’s why the government should provide more employment assistance and programs to the
citizens and job opportunity to help them get employed locally and internationally which can
therefore reduce the poverty percentage in the country.

Corruption social issue. It has always been an issue for every administration and it’s very hard to
remove. However, to lessen the corruption in the country, transparency should be promoted to help
the public know an accurate and complete information about their activities and governance. It is
also suggested a Reform of public administration to be implemented to create good governance
and improve their service delivery for public benefit.
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration is a very controversial one. With all
of these controversies, impeachment shall be done.
SUMMARY
To wrap it up, each and every administration have always a controversy, in social,
economic, political, and cultural. The Corruption scandals and poverty in social during the Arroyo
Administration had affect the Philippines, President Arroyo is known as the most corrupt president
in the Philippines and it probably cause poverty in the rural area, and with this, there was a
widespread unemployment in the Philippines, Unemployment and poverty is still a problem, even
today in this time of pandemic, that’s why the government should provide more employment
assistance to the citizens and job opportunity to help Pilipino citizen to be employed . while in the
economic issues, the North Rail Project Anomaly had gone through cancellation because no plans
and there was no substitute foreign support to continue the project, but today, Duterte’s
administration finished the long-planned project. It even come to the point that President Arroyo
accused of buying the votes by Authorizing the release of million of pesos. the money was
supposedly to be used for the purchase of fertilizers which would be distributed to the local
officials. But after a year, farmers claimed that they did not receive fertilizers from the funds
released by the Department of Agriculture, that the solution that may apply in this issue, the
fertilizer fund must be handed over to the public directly. In Cultural, Cordillera People Demand
Presidential Ouster, they protested on the mining plan and mineral exploration of president Arroyo
to establish foreign companies in their area. Cordillera region condemned Arroyo by economic
dislocation and human rights violation since her plan can worsen their natural resources, lands and
customs, with that case, recommendation include filing a lawsuit against the Arroyo under
Republic Act No. 8371 of 1997 which is an act protecting the rights of indigenous communities.
Second, Strengthen environmental sustainability of mining activities. Lastly in Politics President
Arroyo was reelected and sworn for her own six-year term as president. She was able to move with
greater assurance on the political and economic reform, but ultimately happed to her, she got
bogged down by corruption charges and her second term is remembered as most of the numerous
attempts to impeach her. To end this, this administration faces a lot of controversy that until now
our country are suffering.