Davao grade school students grill President
MAR AS PNOY’S PHOTOGRAPHER Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the Liberal Party standard-bearer, uses a smartphone to document President Aquino answering a query from a pupil taking part in a tree-planting program called “Treevolution of the Young” at Teodoro Palma Gil Elementary School in Davao City. At left is PublicWorks Secretary Rogelio Singson. KING RODRIGUEZ/CONTRIBUTOR
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—A day after he faced editors and reporters of the Inquirer, President Aquino on Wednesday was grilled by grade school students in Davao City.
Five students were allowed to ask questions to Aquino. One of them was John Agor, a Grade 6 student at Don Cesario Villa Abrille Elementary School, who asked why illegal logging continues to this day.
The President started his answer by using the biblical story of Cain and Abel as an analogy.
“There really are stubborn people,”Aquino answered with a smile.
Aquino said that under previous administrations, illegal loggers were active despite government efforts to apprehend them.
He said logs and trucks were confiscated, but the old policy allowed the seized logs to be auctioned, with the illegal loggers joining the bidding and ending up buying the logs at a low price.
School tables, chairs
Aquino said his administration had stepped up its efforts to seize hot logs through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which had confiscated at least 400 trucks holding the illegal cargo since he came to office.
“Seized logs are no longer auctioned or sold. We use them to build tables and chairs for public schools,” the President said.
Another student asked the President about the importance of foreign investment and its effects on the local economy.
Aquino replied that foreign investments create jobs and encourage local businesses to raise the quality of their products to meet international standards.
The President said taxes on foreign investments also gave the government additional revenue.
K-12
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Teachers in the crowd laughed when the last student asked about the administration’s K-12 program.
“How will K-12 be good for us?” the student asked.
Aquino explained that the program would give students more time to learn and acquire technical skills.
“K-12 offers you the opportunity to learn trades and be productive,” the President said.
Earlier on Wednesday, 500 students from seven schools planted 2,000 seedlings in Barangay Tigatto.
Grade 6 student Juri Lopoz, president of the student council at Teodoro Palma Gil Elementary School, led the activity.
Invitation to Aquino
During a recent visit to Malacañang with his mother, Janet Lopoz, an official of the Mindanao Development Authority, Juri handed a letter to Aquino inviting him to the tree planting by Davao schoolchildren.
Juri expected Aquino to say that he would send a representative, but was surprised when the President said he would go.
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