MANILA - Despite the global financial crisis, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called on the nation to "count our blessings" and set aside "political differences" as government works to cushion the impact of the economic turmoil.
"We are now coming into the holiday season, we should all count our blessings and we should look to the future with greater hope, confidence and optimism," Arroyo said in a speech at a Local Peace and Security Assembly (LPSA) meeting in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, on Thursday.
"Our people must come together this holiday season, to celebrate faith and families, our communities must pool together and set aside personal feuds, political differences and focus instead on what positive things we can do to improve our lives," she said.
While stressing that the country is "not in crisis," Arroyo said it is facing "strong challenges" from rising oil and commodity prices.
"Alam natin na nag-aabala kayo sa katiyakan ng trabaho at kung ano ang mabibili ng inyong kinikita. [We know that you are worried about job security and purchasing power]. We are also concerned with that," she said.
"Our economic team is working to rein in inflation, to monitor prices and to put price gougers out of business…We will continue to make spot checks in the markets to make sure no one is taking advantage of their fellow citizens during these extraordinary challenging times," she said.
As the financial meltdown in the United States sent shock waves around the world, another impeachment complaint was filed against Arroyo on Sunday.
The complaint stemmed from the alleged overprice of the botched $329-million contract between the Philippines and China's ZTE Corp. for the national broadband project.
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