FVR on Arroyo's SONA: 'All promises'

Former President Fidel Ramos on Monday dismissed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA) saying that it was "all promises." The former president revealed this in an interview with radio station dzMM where he also said that what the country needs now is unity. "Right now, it's all promises... During the first SONA, there were promises. Even the Congress was all promises. But what is needed is performance,"he said, adding that government should also try to eradicate the corrupt system that prevails in society. Ramos had been a long-time supporter of Arroyo who once faced by mounting calls for her resignation on June, 2005. At that time, Ramos was being wooed by both sides of the political fence. He attended separate meetings with politicians, including Senate President Franklin Drilon and former Senator Tito Sotto followed by a meeting with President Arroyo. Ramos rejected invitations from the political opposition to join them and stressed that he supported the administration. He however admitted that Arroyo and her team has been sluggish in implementing the much-needed reforms which he suggested, including the need for Arroyo to step down from power in 2007. At a high-profile summit of the Lakas-CMD held on Jan. 15, 2006, delegates of the party rejected his proposals and favored Arroyo's initiative. On Monday, he called for an end to the culture of robbery, graft and corruption and the "tayo-tayo" system in government bureaucracy. He also said that there should be "teamwork in nation building" since the country has to compete with neighboring countries like Malaysia and Vietnam that have "strong national teams." "Even the Indonesian national teams is back in competition," Ramos added. He also said, "We have to rebuild and build and build this nation. We have lost so much time." Asked to comment on Arroyo's statement that she will not become a hindrance to the [political] ambitions of those in government, Ramos replied, "That's an old tune. Just do [it]." - GMANews.TV