GUAM - President Obama addressed Congress on Wednesday night, Washington time. Perhaps not surprisingly, his main message to House, Senate and Nation is about getting Americans back to work with rewarding careers that restore pride and help the U.S. compete globally. On Guam, Obama's jobs focus appears to be right on the money.

The President’s hitting all the right buttons: workforce development and jobs, jobs, jobs. Even at 8,000 miles away, Obama’s first state of the union speech is hitting close to home.

President Obama told a joint gathering of Congress at the Capitol Building on Wednesday, “People are out of work. They are hurting. They need our help. And I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.”

Paying the bills and enjoying life matters as much to mainland Americans as it does to Guam Americans. And after Obama’s first year in office, local folks we talked to gave him thumbs up.

Lou Muna says,  "I think he is doing a good job."

Mildred Guevara is happy Obama gave Guam a tax credit. 

Local musician Jon Palau says, "I think the only thing that I feel is that stimulus plan that he gave out, that really benefitted a lot."

Fred A. Pangelinan says, "He's willing to help us and that is great."

Nowadays Guam is hungry for the kind of teaching and learning that will prep up-and-comers for the buildup and beyond. Achieving a ready workforce means local schools must stop the destructive practice of social promotion.

Today Obama addressed the nationwide need to help students earn good grades through merit instead of entitlement. “The idea here is simple," he said. "Instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform – reform that raises student achievement, inspires students to excel in math and science, and turns around failing schools that steal the future of too many young Americans.”

Last year Obama said Guam and the U.S. share “an urgent need for jobs, better schools, and improved infrastructure.” And there can be no better time than now for our island to heed his advice and accept his help “to build a more prosperous Guam.”

U.S. House Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, who attended Obama's speech to national lawmakers Thursday morning, Chamorro Standard time, delivers her State of Congress address to the Guam Legislature on the evening of February 16th.

Governor Camacho is expected to address the Guam Legislature with his final State of the Island address soon. His office has yet to specify a date.

Story credit: text by Jeff Marchesseault, video editing by Bobby Bonifacio, Jr. and camera by David F. Macaluso

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