BY REGINA BENGCO

MALACAÑANG yesterday branded as "biased" and "purely for propaganda" the recent Pulse Asia survey that tagged President Arroyo as the most corrupt president in recent history, even as its officials frantically instituted damage control.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the October 20-31 survey was not an official release by the survey firm but was commissioned by former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, the opposition’s campaign manager.

Osmeña and Pulse Asia executive director Ana Maria Tabunda have been quoted in several reports as confirming Bunye’s allegation that it was commissioned, but both denied that the survey was biased.

"It was a biased question, vulnerable to what in the survey profession calls ‘recency effect’ (respondents being biased against incumbent and not being able to recall misdeeds by past administrations). It is purely and clearly for propaganda purposes," Bunye said.

Bunye also appealed to polling firms to be more discerning and not allow allegedly biased questions to be run.

Cabinet secretary Ricardo Saludo, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, and Budget director Emma Luisa Penano held a press conference at the Malacañang briefing room to underscore the government’s efforts to curb corruption.

Penano said President Arroyo issued Executive Order 662-A on November 15 which provides that the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) should place in a government website a database of proposed and concluded public sector contracts "regardless of amount involved," instead of only P100 million and above.

Arroyo expanded the membership of the Procurement Transparency Group (PTG) to include the Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference for Human Development, the Transparency and Accountability Network, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, and two instead of five representatives from the nongovernmental organizations involved in procurement reforms.

She also ordered all government agencies to cooperate with and assist the PTG.

Saludo said government raised the Ombudsman’s budget by more than half, hired 200 new investigators and 50 prosecutors, and increased the conviction success rate from 6 percent in 2002 to 68 percent in 2007.

He said dozens of officials have been punished following lifestyle checks and integrity programs, including a BIR assistant commissioner, a public works undersecretary, and a Customs deputy commissioner.

A Church-based social justice group said it expected Malacañang to shrug off the survey results.

"Just like the cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, Arroyo is in perpetual state of denial," said Fr. Joe Dizon of Solidarity Philippines.

Dizon said he agrees with the survey results even though it cannot automatically convict Arroyo for her sins against society.

"It’s (poll results) pretty accurate and correct. Arroyo, definitely, deserves such shameful dishonor," he said.

He said now that the people have spoken, Arroyo "should resign for the good of the nation."

"No less than that. (If not) she must pay for those heinous crimes," he added. – With Gerard Naval