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Pro-Arroyo banners hang on overpasses, footbridges in Metro


'THANK YOU.' This streamer adorns an MMDA footbridge near the Sto. Domingo Church, along the north-bound lane of Quezon Avenue in QC. GMANews.TV
On the eve of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's last State of the Nation Address (SONA), banners were hung on footbridges and overpasses in several parts of Metro Manila, lauding her for her "achievement" in education. In Manila and Quezon City, the banners suspended on the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) footbridges and overpasses "thanked" Mrs. Arroyo for financing the education of at least 4.3 million "scholars." "Maraming Salamat, Pangulong Gloria ... 4.3 million scholar (Thank you so much President Gloria, 4.3 million scholars)," was the message on some of the tarpaulin streamers. The group behind the banners was a certain "Young Pinoys." Some of the banners carried the message: "Edukasyon susi sa kaunlaran, sandata laban sa kahirapan (Education, the key to progress, the weapon against poverty)." Many of the pro-Arroyo banners were hung alongside smaller banners greeting the Iglesia ni Cristo on its 95th anniversary. Meanwhile, militant public school teachers gave President Arroyo a failing grade in uplifting education on the eve of her SONA. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) gave Mrs. Arroyo a grade of “5" (failing) in her efforts in giving access to education, addressing the plight of teachers, providing education resources, and upholding academic freedom. “Fewer children are enrolling in basic education. Over 3 million children between ages 6-15 are not enrolled. Enrollment growth in elementary and high schools have remained stagnant since 2003 - something not seen in previous administration(s)," it said on its Web site. It gave its “report card" hours before a government task force on education was to submit its report to Mrs. Arroyo Sunday afternoon. ACT said teachers and education workers saw a dramatic decline in their living standards as the Arroyo government imposed a salary freeze from 2001 to 2006. Since 2003, they have also been deprived of the full enjoyment of Government Service Insurance System benefits due to what it called the “incompetent management and unjust policies of Winston Garcia." Also, it lamented the shortages of classrooms and teachers have led to larger class sizes and longer working hours for many teachers. The group said that from 2001 to 2006, Mrs. Arroyo reduced real spending on basic education by an average of 3.5 percent. Because of this, it said shortages in teachers, classrooms, textbooks, and other resources ballooned to unprecedented levels, school maintenance and operations budget were cut, and teachers were burdened with heavier work loads. Teachers have also been victims of human rights violations of the Arroyo administration, ACT said. “Eleven teachers have been killed since 2001, including two national officials of ACT. Military and police units routinely make rounds of high schools and universities, harassing legitimate teachers’ organizations," it said. ACT said that after nine years in power, “student Gloria Arroyo has caused serious harm to the education sector. We recommend that she step down immediately." - GMANews.TV
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