GMA HAS NO PLACE IN THE P200 BILL-- REMULLA
Laban congressman Gilbert Remulla today said President Arroyo should prove her worth first to befit the honor of having herself featured in one of the country’s bank notes.
He said this right, should be only reserved to heroes, heroines and national leaders who have dedicated their lives in serving their country and their people.
Remulla said the announcement of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) that it would circulate P200 bills featuring Mrs. Arroyo and her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, is a big insult to the memories of other national martyrs who have died in the name of freedom.
“ Even President Aquino, who has become a symbol of our newfound democracy, didn’t have the swollen ego to have herself included in the P500 bill where her husband was featured. Marcos, who is allegedly the country’s most dreaded dictator was also not that conceited to put himself in any of our bank notes, “ Remulla said.
“I can count more than a dozen Filipino martyrs who are more deserving to be honored through our bank notes,” he added.
Remulla pointed out however he does not pose any objection if the proposed P200 note would bear the face of the late President Macapagal but it is totally unnecessary for the BSP to also feature Mrs. Arroyo.
According to the BSP, the frontage of the P200 bill which will be unveiled in time for the June 12 National Independence Day will show the face of President Macapagal while the reverse would feature Mrs. Arroyo taking her oath as the 14th president of the Republic.
“ The late President Macapagal deserves to be honored in our bank notes because one way or another, he has done great service to our country and our people but I don’t think that it’s her daughter’s time ,” Remulla remarked.
The Cavite solon said he also concur with the observation that putting Mrs. Arroyo in the proposed P200 bill would surely give her an undue advantage in the 2004 presidential elections.
“ Extraordinary people are featured in our bank notes because it is our way of expressing our gratitude to them. We should not destroy this fine tradition to satisfy one’s political interest,” Remulla said as he called on the BSP to revise the design of the proposed P200 bill.
april 16,2002