BY JP LOPEZ

SEN. Francis Escudero yesterday said it would be good this year only if Cabinet officials would admit their involvement in anomalies and the Arroyo government would get rid of these scalawags.

Without these, 2008 would be another year of "mismanagement and callous governance," he said.

President Arroyo, in her New Year’s Day message, said she was "optimistic and hopeful" as she said the country is "stable, strong, and peaceful." She said the economy is strong, the stock market booming, and investments are pouring in.

Escudero said the hallmark of the Arroyo administration is blind loyalty to one person instead of to the country.

"Mali at manhid ang patakbo ng gobyerno ng mga opisyal na nagbibingi-bingihan at nagbubulag-bulagan," he said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Arroyo’s statement was only "lip service and hollow," taking into account her administration’s record.

He said the country would be able to catch up with those of other Asian countries only if massive corruption in government would be stopped.

Majority leader Francis Pangilinan said many administrations have passed but the country still lags behind its Asean neighbors.

"Ibig sabihin, usapin ito ng kakayahan, paninindigan at pang-unawa sa mabibigat na problema tulad ng corruption poverty alleviation, kalidad ng edukasyon at hanapbuhay," he said.

Sen. Loren Legarda said the optimism of the people for 2008 only showed the Filipino’s resilience and optimistic nature.

A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations from November 30 to December 3 showed 91 percent of Filipinos are looking at 2008 with hope rather than fear. It was the same level of hopefulness as in 2007.

"We try to make the most out of life. We are a hardy people. But this optimism is not in any way a manifestation that the lot of the Filipino is improving," Legarda said.

"We are not likened to the bamboo, which sways with the wind so as not to be uprooted, for nothing. We also seem live by the saying ‘kapag maikli ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot’ (if the blanket is short, learn to curl up)."

Legarda said the optimism will be tested as the country braces for continuing increases in the prices of basic commodities and fuel.

She said only the barometer of ever-increasing hardship being faced by Filipinos is changing, with the price of the fish galunggong in the post-Marcos years and now the price of pan de sal.