President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is responsible for the largest contingent of temporary working in the world. There are over 8 million Filipinos working in 181 countries. In 2003 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the absentee voting bill giving millions of Filipinos in other countries their right of suffrage. During her tenure in the Senate, she authored 55 laws on economic and social reform.
Rationale
There are about 7.4 million Filipinos working overseas which is equivalent to almost ten percent of the entire population.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is bent on turning the country into an e-services hub. This poverty stricken, bankrupt and corrupt country will invest a high percentage of their gross domestic revenues into education. This initiative, driven by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will continue to increase the value of the work force and eventually the country.
Quotations:
'To prepare our youth to be the next generation of knowledge workers, we will upgrade Math and Science teaching in basic education.
'We will take a hard look at education and ask: Is it preparing the youth for the jobs of the new economy?'
'Through education, we will promote fast-growing industries where high-value jobs are plentiful. One of them is information and communication technology, or ICT, where our English literacy, our aptitude and skills give us a competitive edge.'
President Arroyo best exemplifies the Philippine government s attitude towards what it calls its 'New Economic Heroes'. She stated that the Philippine economy will be, for the foreseeable future, heavily dependent still on oversees workers remittances.
'I encourage all of you to be our ambassadors of goodwill and to maintain friendly relations with the ... government and the ... people,' the President told the Filipino community who warmly met her and presented traditional Filipino dances and songs.
About Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo:
Arroyo began her career as a teacher at Assumption College. She then became a full professor of economics, teaching first at Ateneo de Manila University and later at the University of Philippines.
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo entered government service as an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry during the Aquino Administration.
She also became Executive Director of the Garments and Textile Export Board, steering the garments industry to become the top net dollar earner for the country, and rose to the rank of Undersecretary of Trade and Industry. During her tenure in the Senate, she authored 55 laws on economic and social reform and was named outstanding Senator several times.Garnered the biggest number of votes in Philippine history (1995 elections) -- an unparalleled 16 million.
Another record that was set is the margin of votes between the first and second placer, which is approximately 3.2 million.
This record still stands in the senate. Arroyo was elected vice president by direct popular vote, winning by a margin of seven million votes over her nearest rival the largest margin for an electoral victory in Philippine history.
President Joseph Estrada appointed her as concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, a post she held until her resignation from the Cabinet on 12 October 2000. Swept to power by a dramatic turn of events, Arroyo has long had a role model for president in her father, who passed away in 1997.
President Macapagal-Arroyo is married to lawyer-businessman Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, the grandson of the late Senator Jose Ma. Arroyo of Iloilo. They have three children, Mikey, Luli, and Dato.
