Trip ni Gloria on Reporter's Notebook

In line with the hot political topic, GMA 7’s Reporter’s Notebook also looks into the foreign travels of President Arroyo.

I was interviewed by the show last Sunday for the story as a resource person (to think I used to do the interviews for them — haha!), since I covered the President as a reporter.  The interview was also a day after I posted my commentary on the matter — a more complete POV compared to my sound bite. In addition to what I had said in my previous post, I did point out to other relevant points and questions (some of which were also mentioned by the other resource persons in the story) that were not anymore included in the story, considering of course, the airtime, late airing, number of resource persons, and angle of the story itself. All understandable. My additional questions and thoughts during the interview last Sunday:

First, how much of the pledged investments are translated into actual investments?

Second, while the Palace boasts of investments following these trips, what exact work does each congressman accomplish while being part of the Presidential delegation?

Third, do notice as well that the frequent inclusion of many solons in the presidential delegation affects the ability of the House of Representatives to get a quorum for session — which means that deliberation of laws get affected.

Fourth, where’s the proof that it is not tax payers’ money that is paying for those who should not be part of the delegation?

Here is part 1 of the story:

Here is part 2:

For more perspective, you may want to see a past story of mine in 2007 on the Palace’s expenses as well: