MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday, December 8, criticized presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe for hitting the Aquino administration’s Daang Matuwid program. 

In an apparent reminder to Poe, Palace Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said the senator was once allied with the administration, having been a former Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson and senatorial candidate of the administration slate in 2013.

“For the past 5 years, Senator Poe had identified herself with the government’s priority reform programs on inclusive growth anchored on Daang Matuwid that have resulted in poverty alleviation, increased employment, and improved revenue collection,” Coloma said in a statement.

Speaking at the 70th anniversary of the Philippine Government Employees Association-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Poe hit the administration’s so-called Daang Matuwid (Straight Path).

“Sabi nila, meron na raw nagawa na matuwid na daan. Tuwid nga, ma-trapik naman,” said the senator, who ran on the same platform in 2013. 

(They say they have already achieved the ‘Straight Path.’ The road may be straight, but the traffic is bad.)

“Sa madaling salita, meron din mabuti na nagawa ang huling administrasyon. Pero kailangan din nating magising sa katotohanan: hindi lahat ng naisagawa nung nakalipas na anim na taon ay nakapagbigay ng ginhawa sa karamihan. Marami pa rin ang naghihirap, nagugutom at walang pag-asa,” Poe added, referring to the problems of contractualization, transportation, and incompetence in government service.

(To cut it short, the administration has done something good but we have to wake up to reality: Not all their actions in the past 6 years have provided relief for the majority. Many people are still in poverty, hungry, and losing hope.)

With this, Coloma was quick to defend the administration, saying Poe has so far failed to offer alternative projects and solutions to the public.

“Recently however, Senator Poe has been promising to surpass the administration’s accomplishments without offering concrete alternative programs, which our people have the right to expect from presidential candidates such as herself,” Coloma said.

He maintained the 2013 elections proved that the Aquino government is doing its job well. After all, he said the administration slate Team PNoy won 9 out of the 12 senatorial seats, led by Poe with 20 million votes. – Rappler.com