October 23, 2007

Gloria goes malling in Glorietta

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday inspected the devastation at Glorietta 2 and went shopping at the adjacent Glorietta malls in Makati City four days after a powerful blast hit the area and left 11 people dead and over 100 injured.

Separate reports on radio dzBB and GMA News Flash Report said Mrs Arroyo, together with Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral and senior executives of mall owner Ayala Land Inc., walked through the boutiques and shops in Glorietta 1, 3 and 4.

She then visited stores at the first and second floor of Glorietta 4 and bought shoes and a blouse. (Click here for the rest.)

GREAT news isn't it? While the rest of the country's workforce are sweating it out in their offices or factories, the great leader of the land plays hooky and goes malling! What an inspiring example of professionalism! As usual, this is another of the hare-brained amateurish ideas of La Presidentita's PR guys. Hindi na kayo nahiya sa mga kababayan nyong nagtratrabaho, hoy!

Sure we get it. The government wants people to get out of their homes and shop, so La Presidentita buys some shoes and a blouse which she probably doesn't need. (Her fashion consultant Joanne Zapanta wasn't with her so God only knows what awful items the great leader must have chosen.) Shopping is good for the economy...that's this administration's mantra. Since we don't have enough foreign investments pushing the country's economy, might as well have personal consumption drive it right? What are all those dollar remittances for anyway?!

What am I feeling about this new publicity stunt from the great leader? Unimpressed.

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