Inquirer’s Christine Avendaño reported that in Arroyo’s trip to the United States this week, she is bringing along more than 70 people, according to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
As in every foreign junket of Gloria Arroyo, the Filipino people become million of dollars poorer with all the expenses in airplane fare, hotel, food, allowances.
It was only last June that Gloria Arroyo was in the U.S. with more than 60 congressmen while the Filipino people were reeling from the lashing of typhoon Frank. Former ambassador to the U.S. Ernesto Maceda gave an idea the expenses incurred in a presidential foreign trip.
Here’s Maceda’s estimate based on an “official party” of more than 20:
There were 20 members of the official delegation, that plus all the members of the Arroyo family who went along for the trip the Philippine delegation must have occupied at least 30 rooms at that hotel. With room rates ranging from $500 to $5,000 a night for suites and ordinary rooms the Philippine delegation would have spent anything from 10,000 to 150,000 US dollars a night for hotel stay alone. GMA hosted expensive lunches and dinners there too. Maceda said that the plane fare bill could reach $200,000 to 300,000 US dollars also. The private jet that was used to fly GMA from Fresno, California to Washington could easily have cost $300,000.
As in previous US visits, the Security, Malacañang media and DFA support groups would number between 200 to 250 persons. It is normal that the Consul Generals from US and Canadian cities would also be called to Washington. The big delegation also means a big amount to be spent for chauffeured vehicles hired to be used, at a rate of about $800 to $1,000 a day depending on the class of vehicle. Easily $150,000 would be spent for car hires for five days. At least $100,000 would be used for PR and media purposes. It is probable that GMA also gave some pocket money to members of her delegation, including her PAL crew. This, as in the past, has turned out to be quite an expensive trip to the US and we haven’t even factored in the cost of junket by those extra loyal congressmen, like you know who, other hanger ons, and the staff members of the cabinet officials that also went along for the joy ride.
I’m not good in math. You be the one to tally the estimate expenses and multiply it by the official number of 71 persons. Take note that the official number is much smaller than the actual number.
The sum total of your computation is the amount that is robbed from each and every one of us, Filipino taxpayers.
What good will this travel again by gloria bring the country? Lets give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe there is something good that may arise from this travel of hers. What is it she is suppose to do? Talk or report to the UN about the progress of the MDG being done by the government, see and talk with the OIC chief and explain what is being done about the peace and crisis in Mindanao, campaign for brenda santiago for her ambition to seat at the international court of justice, etc. All these are the job of her ambassadors. There is no pressing need for her to be there. She’s been there just last June. Isn’t that enough or did she fail in her task during her last visit that she has to return to the US. Her timing is off. The justification for her travel are the pleadings of DFA sec.romulo and amb. davide. What are these two doing, sleeping o the job? That they need gloria to do their work. And to think they will be spending millions of $ of taxpayers money that could be well spent for victims of the MOA-AD crisis in Mindanao. And what will her entourage of 70+ be doing there too. Taga palakpak? But as I said let give her the benefit of the doubt and when she returns lets give her what’s due. Well many are hoping she does not return. That would be much better.
The situation in Mindanao has stabilized enough for President Arroyo to proceed with her trip to New York, according to Malacañang. Just a press release, folks, a sequel to the PR on MILF-AFP hostilities and in accordance to the master script.
No sense crying over spilt milk = millions of taxpayer money. People have been robbed in broad daylight and the robber is known. What should the people do?
I missed my training in London because of lack of even for the fare alone. So for the next program year I inputted all possible foreign trainings and seminars. Now everyone has a lot of trainings to attend. All it takes is to insert, insert, insert ideas for the next subsequent programs. They must be doing the same in Malacanan to woo potential flying buddies.
Kabute, that bansot is not entitled to even a single iota of the “benefit of the doubt”. That bansot stole the presidency of President Joseph Estrada by coup d’etat and stole the presidency of FPJ. I could not even think of a single accomplishment of that bansot that benefited the country since 2001?
I don’t understand what is due to her? She is an illegitimate de facto power grabber. Kabute, can you tell me what is due to her?
What’s new? This thick skinned Evil Bitch doesn’t care. Her entire family is with her including grandchildren and their nannies all paid by taxpayers.
Ellen,
Tama ang estimate ni Amb.Maceda sa magagastos ni Arroyo and entourage sa pagpunta nila dito sa america…
Ang problema nakalimutan ni Amb.Maceda na idagdag sa kwenta ang “TONGPATS”, ANG DAGDAG.!! ANG DAGDAG !!! wawang mga pinoy…
etcetera, like I said “when she returns lets give her what’s due”. What’s due someone who stole the Presidency? What’s due someone whose done nothing but give misery to a lot of Filipinos? What’s due someone who wastes taxpayers money to stay in power? So let’s give her whats due her.
“If once-upon-a-time dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos is to be believed, it was the United States who wanted martial law in the Philippines in 1972.
Now, likely you will think that the suggestion is absolutely preposterous and that Marcos — who is known to lie — was merely covering his tracks with that assertion.
However, in the light of established US track record in supporting dictatorships and the recent US intervention in Mindanao which could severely reshape our geographic setup as a country, it would be good to view the declaration of martial law in a larger perspective, one that rises above the popular belief that Marcos simply wanted to extend his term beyond its expiration in 1973.
Not to gainsay its truly democratic system of government, its enviable justice system, its contributions to science, communications, literature and development worldwide and its people’s great humanitarian bounty for assisting many needy nations — there is no denying that there is this dark, Machiavellian side of US history that has made many nations very wary and suspicious of US foreign policy. This is the US inclination to create and support dictatorships in the pursuit of its geopolitical agenda.”
Bakit kasama ang lahat sa familia niya..ano ang gagawin ng mga apo niya na kasama ang mga yaya? maglalaro doon sa UN? ang alam natin..the family that prays together stays together..pero sa situation na ito..it seems that the family that preys together stays together..In Webster’s New World Dictionary..prey is the mode of living by preying on other animal vt. to plunder..plunder is to rob; to take property by force or fraud….and the Filipino people are the victims..malungkot!
Bakit kasama ang lahat sa familia niya..ano ang gagawin ng mga apo niya na kasama ang mga yaya? maglalaro doon sa UN? ang alam natin..the family that prays together stays together..pero sa situation na ito..it seems that the family that preys together stays together..In Webster’s New World Dictionary..prey is the mode of living by preying on other animal vt. to plunder..plunder is to rob; to take property by force or fraud….and the Filipino people are the victims..malungkot!
Another Pinay singer makes us proud:
http://www.oprah.com/media/20080919_tows_charice
kung sakaling exile wala nang naiwanan. Mga yaya ay effective attraction sa mga investors.
A member of the administration coalition has expressed support for the militant bloc’s resolution asking the House of Representatives to look into the continued and increasing presence of American troops in the country.
Zamboanga City Rep. Maria Isabelle G. Climaco said she even informed US ambassador Kristie Kenney of her desire to have the House committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement look into what appears to be a permanent presence of US troops in the country.
“I already told Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney that the Committee of the VFA in the House of Representatives should be convened to find out what the Americans are doing here, because as a representative of Zamboanga City I don’t know for what reason they’ve been there since 2001,” Climaco said.
Climaco said she has long been asking US officials about their long-term plans in the country. She said the Americans would always say they don’t have any.
“If they don’t have a long-term plan, why is it that until now they haven’t left the country?” Climaco asked.
…..The Evil Bitch became the illegitimate President in 2001, the same year these US soldiers began staying in Mindanao until today. Connect the two and you know the reason why Gloria is still in power.
Yung matiyagang nag-aattend ng Millenium Development Goals conference ng UN, yung may sufficient achievement sa development agenda na inilatag ng UN. Yung malinaw na nakakasabay sa panuntunang pagpapaunlad ng buhay ng mga tao sa pamamagitan ng hustisya, hanapbuhay, kalayaan, at edukasyon.
Sa lahat ng aggulong iyan, semplang si Gloria.
Mas mabuti na sigurong huwag na lang siyang umuwi.
And just as I suspected, she will meet with her bankers in New York. Inquirer says so here:
globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20080922-162105/Arroyo-to-meet-with-bank-experts-in-US.
Sabi naman ni Dureza, “Being an economist, she can also share her views with them.” F*cking nonsense. What will she teach the Americans? Selling their patrimony to the Chinese to buoy up their economy? Kapal!
What a loser!
sus si dura-za, talagang ang lakas ng sipsip kay gloria! anong input maibibigay ni gloria as an economist? mismong bakuran niya nga (pinas) hindi niya maayos-ayos ang ekonomiya, makikialam pa siya doon sa america?
ano ba naman yan? lalo nilang ginagago ang taong-bayan!!!
laking gastos na naman ng junket na yan. talagang itchy feet ang pandak!
Maraming gobyerno ngayon ang tahimik na umiiyak sa nangyayari sa New York. Yung mga pondo ng bansa nila, inilagak ng mga korap na leader sa kung anu-anong funds na overstated ang mga securities, kapalit ng “pangako” ng malaking kita, ayun, naglaho ng parang bula. Yung mga pumasok sa hedge funds after April na may holding period na six months, or after September last year na may holding period na 12 months, hindi kayang patulugin kahit bote-boteng cognac.
Maglulupasay man sila doon, hindi na maibabalik ang pera nila.
Are we sure that the GSIS and SSS have no exposure in the US markets?
Mayroon bang tongpats na naka-park sa Wall Street? Hindi kaya bumaba ang value ng portfolio ng borjer inc.?