BY WENDELL VIGILA
PRESIDENT Arroyo has registered a record-low
negative performance rating for a president since 1986 despite
her various programs to fight poverty and the looming global
food and energy crises, the second quarter survey of the Social
Weather Stations showed.
The SWS survey, conducted from June 27 to 30,
said the President's net satisfaction rating plunged to -38 from
-33 in May 2005.
The survey found that only 22 percent of the
respondents are satisfied with the President's performance while
60 percent remain dissatisfied.
SWS also noted that the new net rating
suffered a 12-point drop from the President's -26 rating in the
first quarter of the year.
"It is the fourth consecutive quarterly drop
in her net rating since June 2007, when it was a neutral -3," it
added.
The lowest rating of President Corazon Aquino
was at a positive 7 in November 1990 and April 1992, that of
President Fidel Ramos at positive 1 in October 1995 and that of
President Joseph Estrada at positive 5 in December 1999 and
March 2000.
Malacañang said the survey result is "very
unfair for a very dedicated and hardworking president.|
Presidential management staff chief Cerge
Remonde said the result showed that the President is "paying a
high price for making the right decisions on very unpopular
issues such as the (12 percent) VAT (value-added tax)."
He said the result was expected because of
the problems confronting the country brought about by the global
food and energy crises.
Remonde said the President is "sensitive" to
public opinion but "she took an oath that requires her to do
what is right not what is popular."
Such burden, he said, is carried by all
leaders in the world, including US President George Bush who has
been widely criticized for his foreign policies, particularly
the war on terrorism.
"To whom much responsibility is given, much
is required. It is never easy to be president of the
Philippines," Remonde said.
The SWS survey showed that for the first
time, gross dissatisfaction reached majority levels in all
areas: 63 percent in Metro Manila, 60 percent in the rest of
Luzon, 56 percent in the Visayas and 62 percent in Mindanao.
It said that even in the Visayas, where the
President usually draws her strongest support, the rating fell
by 18 points from -15 in March to a record -33 in June. In
Mindanao, it fell by 8 points, (-33 to -41), also a record-low.
Arroyo's net satisfaction ratings fell by 13
points in Balance Luzon, (-25 to -38) and by 3 points in Metro
Manila, from -37 to -40.
SWS noted that the record lows in these two
areas are -47 (May 2005) in Balance Luzon and -48 (June 2006) in
Metro Manila.
It also noted that between March and June
2008, the President's net rating fell by 11 points in both urban
(-27 to -38) and rural areas (-26 to -37).
The survey said dissatisfaction has worsened
in all socio-economic classes, "with the middle-to-upper classes
or ABCs just as dissatisfied now as the masa or Class D."
SWS said Arroyo's net satisfaction rating
plunged the most among the middle-to-upper classes, falling by
23 points, or from -14 last March to -37 in June.
"The previous record-low for ABCs was -34 in
May 2005. It had been positive in February, June and September
2007, when the ratings for the lower D and E classes were
negative or zero," it said.
Among the masses or Class D, the survey
showed that Arroyo's net rating fell by 11 points, from net -24
in March to net -35 in June. The previous record-low for Class D
was -34, also in May 2005.
Among the poorest of poor or Class E, the
President's net rating fell by 8 points, from net -37 in March
to -45 in June. The previous record-low for Class E was -37 in
March 2008.
The non-commissioned survey had 1,200
respondents.
Congressmen said the record-low satisfaction
rating was largely caused by the global oil price hike and the
devastation from typhoon "Frank" that hit the country in June.
"She is running a country not for Miss
Universe. So there are decisions she had made which though right
are unpopular to the very same people who will benefit from
them, consumption taxes for example," said Palawan Rep. Antonio
Alvarez.
Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo said
instead of condemnation, Arroyo should be lauded for having the
political will to make the right decisions against negative
public reaction.
"Any president who wants to be popular can simply order that
gas be retailed at P20 per liter, rice at P10 a kilo, the
minimum wage increased to P1,000 a day, zero taxes on goods, and
no traffic fines . but these will lead us to the road to
perdition. Which brings us to the first lesson in presidency:
that most often the right decisions are tough, and they will not
endear you to the people," he said. - With Peter Tabingo
