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July was a very special month for President Gloria Arroyo. She
delivered her last State of the Nation Address before a joint
session of Congress. She sat down with US President Barack Obama at
the historic Oval Office on his invitation. Her pledge to automate
the national election before she left office took life, wobbled, and
resurrected itself again. She stood up to the pharmaceutical
industry over cheaper medicines and the drug makers swallowed a
bitter pill. The economy steadied.
The speech did not sound poignant but defiant.
She counted her achievements and swung at her critics. She said she
was stepping down from office in 2010 but the skeptics were not
convinced. There were significant blank spaces in the address but,
in sum, it delivered her key message: you may consider her a lame
duck but she has 12 months remaining in office. In other words,
watch her smoke.
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