From the News! – Your Daily News

Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The chairman emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) claimed to have reprimanded Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo over the phone over reports he called for a change in government due to allegations of massive corruption.

Recalling his conversation with Lagdameo, PCCI chairman emeritus Donald Dee said he told the archbishop: “One statement you made that we cannot accept and will never accept is that we need a new government.”

“Your statement is creating havoc, it divides the people. We did not create this recession. We were just dragged into this,” Dee said he told the CBCP president.

“Beyond that, let me say this very clearly archbishop, that business, we businessmen, need a calm environment to work in. With your statement, you can see that some groups with different agenda are moving,” he told reporters at the Palace, in an interview arranged by Press Secretary Jesus Dureza.

Dee said Lagdameo told him he was referring to preparations for the 2010 general elections.

The business leader said he asked Lagdameo to issue a rejoinder to which the prelate reportedly: “I will try to do it.”

Helen Flores
Philippine Star

Less people are dissatisfied with President Arroyo although her rating remains poor as she faces a new impeachment complaint, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a recent survey.

The non-commissioned survey among 1,500 adults, conducted from Sept. 24 to 27, found that 27 percent are satisfied and 54 percent are dissatisfied with the President’s performance “for a poor yet improved net rating of -27,” the SWS said.

SWS said results of its Third Quarter 2008 survey are better than in June 2008 when Mrs. Arroyo got -38 net rating (22 percent satisfied and 60 percent dissatisfied).

Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico and lawyer Harry Roque yesterday filed a new impeachment complaint against the President accusing her of, among others, betrayal of public trust.

This was the fourth impeachment case filed against her since she assumed the presidency in 2001.

The latest survey showed the President’s rating going back to the level of the first quarter of this year when 27 percent were satisfied and 54 percent were dissatisfied, or net -26, the SWS said.

SWS attributed the net rating improvement to lessening dissatisfaction in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Reacting to the survey, Malacañang said the results were encouraging.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza and Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio, in separate statements, said they expect the ratings of the President to improve further.

“There is apparently an increasing appreciation of the President’s leadership and policies especially in managing or fortifying the country’s preparedness against crisis situations and protecting the common Filipino from their harmful consequences,” Claudio said.

Dureza said the improvement in Mrs. Arroyo’s ratings “encourages everybody in the team to work harder in a time like this.”

“Surveys are merely indicators but if there’s a noticeable improvement in the numbers, these provide encouragement,” he said.

In the latest SWS survey, net satisfaction with Mrs. Arroyo became less negative in the Visayas at net -14 (34 percent satisfied, 48 percent dissatisfied), from net -33 (23 percent satisfied, 56 percent dissatisfied) last June.

Dissatisfaction also eased in Mindanao to net -21 (30 percent satisfied, 50 percent dissatisfied) from net -41 (21 percent satisfied, 62 percent dissatisfied) previously.

Net satisfaction with Mrs. Arroyo in balance Luzon recovered slightly to net -32 (24 percent satisfied, 57 percent dissatisfied) from net -38 (22 percent satisfied, 60 percent dissatisfied) in June.

It also recovered slightly in Metro Manila to net -36 in September (21 percent satisfied, 58 percent dissatisfied) from net -40 (23 percent satisfied, 63 percent dissatisfied) in June.

Urban satisfaction with the President was 28 percent in September, up from 22 percent in June, while dissatisfaction fell to 54 percent from 60 percent. This puts her urban net rating up to -26 from a previous -38.

Rural satisfaction rose to 26 percent from 22 percent while dissatisfaction went to 54 percent from 60 percent, bringing her rural net rating up to -28 from -37.

Dissatisfaction with the country’s chief executive also lessened in all socio-economic classes, the SWS said.

Dissatisfaction with Mrs. Arroyo eased among class E at net -32 (23 percent satisfied, 55 percent dissatisfied) in September, from net -45 (20 percent satisfied, 65 percent dissatisfied) in June.

It lessened among class D or the common masses at -24 (29 percent satisfied, 53 percent dissatisfied) from -35 (23 percent satisfied, 58 percent dissatisfied) before.

SWS said net satisfaction with Mrs. Arroyo also improved among the middle-to-upper classes ABC at -27 (29 percent satisfied, 56 percent dissatisfied) in September from -37 (22 percent satisfied, 59 percent dissatisfied) in June.

Meanwhile, the SWS said Mrs. Arroyo received a “very bad net” -50 (17 percent satisfied and 67 percent dissatisfied) in its July 2008 survey commissioned by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez.

SWS however said the demographic details of Mrs. Arroyo’s satisfaction rating in the July 2008 Suarez-commissioned survey are still under embargo.

The SWS Third Quarter 2008 survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percent for national percentages and plus or minus six percent for area percentages.

– With Paolo Romero

Christina Mendez
Philippine Star

Sen. Richard Gordon has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to go back to the drawing board and reconfigure its proposed budget for the full automation of the May 2010 national and local elections.

Gordon became suspicious of sinister efforts by some quarters to thwart the full election automation effort in 2010 when the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Automated Election System met with Comelec officials last Wednesday.

He said the Comelec should reconcile glaring discrepancies between its original and revised budget proposals submitted to the budget department and Congress.

“There seems to be an attempt by certain unscrupulous people in Comelec to prevent the automation of elections by making it appear as not feasible,” he said, adding that it was ridiculous for the Comelec to submit five different budget proposals.

The Comelec earlier announced it has readied five different budget proposals for the full election automation, the highest of which amounts to P61 billion and the lowest P3.4 billion.

However, at the Senate hearing, Gordon was surprised that the Comelec presented a P9.7-billion budget for the automated election, which relies on the use of Optical Mark Reader (OMR) voting machines in 85 percent of the country’s precincts, and 15 percent of the precincts would have Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) or touch screen voting machines.

According to Gordon, the use of mostly OMR voting machines would not satisfy the objectives of fast, clean elections. He added that he prefers DRE over OMR because the latter is more susceptible to cheating compared to DRE machines. The DRE machines would be used in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.

DRE machines allow voting through a touch-screen or touch-pad, while OMR machines require voters to fill up a paper ballot which is then counted by a specially designed machine.

“Comelec itself has said that OMR is prone to tampering and is much slower than DRE. Going heavy on OMR in 2010 will defeat our objective of having fast and clean elections,” Gordon stressed.

“Every step of the way we have to coax the Comelec to stay the course and not be afraid of the cost, because it is up to Congress really to produce the money. That is why they have to come back and come up with the real budget for a fast and very accurate system which cannot be tampered with,” he added.

Philippine Star

Senators have asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to review and re-submit its proposed 2009 budget to ensure a fully automated, clean and credible election in 2010.

Sen. Richard Gordon and Edgardo Angara on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction over the Comelec’s presentation of its 2009 budget and told Comelec officials to include everything that would be needed for the 2010 elections, especially the requirements for the full computerization of the national elections. The Comelec presented its proposed 2009 budget of P3.8 billion, but this figure excludes the budget for automation.

When asked how much it would take to cover the cost of complete automation, Comelec chair Jose Melo cited a figure of P50 billion, which Gordon said seemed too bloated for automation alone.

On the other hand, the supplier of the system said that based on his estimates, a combination of the two technologies, 75 percent direct recording electronic (DRE) and 25 percent optical mark reader (OMR), would only cost between P15 billion to P18 billion.

Gordon said the Comelec should study and submit its budget proposal for the next two years so that it could still be included in the 2009 General Appropriations Bill before the House of Representatives starts its deliberations.

Angara also stressed that Comelec should be able to incorporate in its 2009 budget the provision for the 2010 poll automation.

He noted that Comelec should study and determine every single figure in the costs of the proposed automation because Filipinos would be deprived of clean elections in 2010 if this does not push through.

“I would strongly suggest that the advisory committee sit down with the potential bidders and really look into every single figure in the costing because it is going to be unfortunate if this will not push through, simply because it is so expensive, that there will be a huge public outcry against it. Whereas, you and I know that this may be one good way to have clean elections,” Angara said.

“That’s why I think it is very important that you bargain hard, and I hope that the suppliers will see also the public service element in this,” he added.

He also advised Comelec to present its budget at the House of Representatives to have better chances.

“Your window of opportunity is to catch the House of Representatives’ hearing on the 2009 budget because it’s better that your proposed budget for the 2010 elections are incorporated in the House bill itself. As you know, the Senate cannot tap the present budget. So it is better to negotiate it in the House,” Angara explained.

Angara also urged voting machine suppliers to work hand in hand with Comelec in order to push through with nationwide election automation.

“If this will be successful, I think this will be the one of the biggest uses of their technology. So I would urge the representatives of the vendors to consider very strongly at least donating a substantial portion of their technology for the sake of democracy, to save the democracy of the Philippines,” Angara said.

Gordon agreed, saying, “How much is our democracy worth? I believe that an automated elections system will save us time and a lot of money on electoral protests. A credible election system will restore our people’s trust and confidence not only in our electoral process, but also in our government.”

– Aurea Calica

Ernesto F. Herrera
The Manila Times

LET me first note that this column was submitted a few hours before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her 2008 State of the Nation Address. Now, in answer to the question posed by this column’s title: Nothing much really. That is, if you believe what Johnny Gat­bonton said in his Manila Times article yesterday, titled, “President Arroyo and her critics: ‘Sticks and Stones.”

There is nothing much we can do but wait for 2010. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s critics (which, surveys say, includes pretty much everyone nowadays) can rant against her all they want; they (or we) can say the most insulting things about her, but in the end, GMA can tell us, “Hanggang kantyaw na lang kayo.”

As Gatbonton pointed out, the political system, heavily one-sided, in favor of the executive, has practically allowed her to do whatever she pleases by manipulating the other branches of government as well as the other societal institutions that are supposed to check her, virtually guaranteeing a free reign until she steps down (which is still a big IF in my book). The only thing we can do is to change certain things in the system to prevent a future GMA.

We can’t heckle the president into stepping down, that I believe. If she can withstand certain efforts by influential (or used-to-be influential) military leaders against her—and she has indeed shown a flair for that—then she can certainly withstand the mere words of critics. Sisiw.

Still, some heckles are more effective than others. I don’t think the president is entirely oblivious, indifferent or, more aptly, manhid, to what is being said about her, or to how she is being perceived by the public. Of course, she is somehow or somewhat affected. Regardless of what they say about her iron will (or about her surname being just two letters more than the Filipino word for thick or shameless: makapal), I believe she still doesn’t want to go down in history as the worst Filipino president ever. And right now, her presidency does appear to be headed for colossal historical disgrace.

GMA is in serious contention for the worst ever. As Newsbreak’s Jesus Llanto said in his article (23 July 2008, “GMA makes history: The most unpopular among the post-FM presidents”), “As far as net satisfaction ratings of post-Marcos presidents are concerned, Arroyo holds four records: she is the first post-Marcos president to receive a negative rating; she is the only president since 1986 who received a negative satisfaction rating for the longest time; she is the president who received the lowest rating at start of her administration; and she is the one who received the lowest rating among the four presidents since the fall of Marcos regime.”

How does any president sink so low, especially one like GMA who once was so popular? Llanto noted the difference in GMA’s popularity ratings before she became president as well. “She topped the 1995 senatorial election after receiving 15.7 million votes—the highest during that time—and was ahead of more than 3 million votes to the second placer, Raul Roco. Her net satisfaction ratings during her term as senator did not fall below +40 across all regions.

“When she ran for vice president, she garnered almost 13 million votes and surpassed the 11 million votes received by Estrada. As vice president, her satisfaction rating never went below +47 except during the height of the impeachment trial of her predecessor in December 2000.”

What a difference the presidency makes indeed. Where could GMA have gone wrong to inspire such crises of credibility and public trust? No previous president appears to have squandered the public’s goodwill more than GMA and no one has gained such a reputation for deviousness.

With two years to go in her term, can she still be spared the ignominy of being the worst ever? Would there be such a reprieve? Does she actually care enough to salvage her reputation and historical standing?

I believe so. I truly believe she can manage to reverse plummeting ratings and regain the public trust. And she can do this not by shifting attention away from her political and policy setbacks, as her administration has time and again tried to do, but by confronting them head-on.

It is no big secret why GMA’s words, her SONAs if you will, seem so incredible to the Filipino people: her administration has been a cumulative endeavor of saying one thing while doing another. The modus operandi of her administration has always been to shift attention away from her mistakes and the scandals plaguing her administration and go into attack mode. And that’s why people don’t expect anything new in her SONA today, or why they don’t believe her, or don’t care.

Openness and candor in addressing the issues would go a long way in redeeming trust, credibility and respectability for the president. As Richard Nixon once said, “The best answer to a smear is to tell the truth.”

It’s not too late for that, is it?

ernestboyherrera@yahoo.com

Helen Flores
Philippine Star

The Arroyo administration’s net satisfaction rating fell to a record low of –21 in the past three months, the lowest for any administration since the ouster of the Marcos regime, Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showed.

The Second Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey, conducted from June 27 to 30, found 28 percent of adult Filipinos satisfied and 49 percent dissatisfied with the overall performance of the administration, or a net satisfaction rating of –21.

The rating is the lowest for any administration surveyed by the SWS since February 1989.

The administration’s ratings concerning issues like helping the poor and fighting corruption have slightly improved however, SWS said.

The latest net satisfaction rating for the administration is two points lower than the –19 in the First Quarter 2008 survey, SWS said.

SWS said the net satisfaction rating of the Arroyo administration has been declining for three consecutive quarters since September 2007, when it was a neutral +9.

SWS said past administrations also had negative ratings at certain times. In November 1990, the Aquino administration received its lowest net satisfaction rating of –10. In October 1995, the Ramos administration obtained its worst low of net –18. Estrada’s lowest net satisfaction rating was net –8 in December 1999.

SWS said dissatisfaction with the present administration hit record-low in the Visayas at –26 in June from –8 in March.

In Mindanao, it fell by six percentage points from –17 to –23.

In Metro Manila, however, the administration’s net satisfaction rating rose by five points from –32 to –27.

It rose by four points in balance Luzon from –20 in March to –16 in June.

The June 2008 survey also found dissatisfaction with the administration worsening among the poor class E and the middle-to-upper classes ABCs.

The net satisfaction rating among the class E fell from –19 in the previous quarter to –25.

It also fell by six points among the class ABCs, from –18 to –24.

Net satisfaction with the administration remained at –19 among the class D or the masses, from 29 percent satisfied and 48 percent dissatisfied in March, to 28 percent satisfied and 47 percent dissatisfied in June.

The survey showed “moderate” net rating for the administration on helping the poor, with 50 percent satisfied and 35 percent dissatisfied, or a net +15. On foreign relations, the administration got a net +13.

The administration also received mediocre ratings on the issues of reconciliation with Muslim rebels at +10 (41 percent satisfied, 31 percent dissatisfied); fighting terrorism, at +10 (43 percent satisfied, 33 percent dissatisfied); distributing lands to deserving tillers, +8 (42 percent satisfied, 34 percent dissatisfied); making medicines affordable, +4 (42 percent satisfied, 38 percent dissatisfied); and fighting crimes, +4 (40 percent satisfied, 36 percent dissatisfied).

On fighting inflation, the administration obtained poor rating at –16 while on ensuring that no family will be hungry, the administration received a net rating of –18.

On eradicating graft and corruption, the administration received a net rating of –22.

“The ratings of the performance of the National Administration on the 10 specific issues tested in the June 2008 survey were better compared to the previous quarter,” SWS said.

Net satisfaction with the administration turned from neutral to positive for four issues: Ratings on helping the poor rose by eight points from +7 to +15; fighting terrorism from +5 to +10; foreign relations, by nine points, from +4 to +13, and reconciliation with Muslim rebels, by seven points, from +3 to +10.

Net satisfaction rating switched from “slightly negative” to “slightly positive” for three issues: distributing lands to deserving tillers under the land reform, from -4 to +8; ensuring that medicines are affordable, from -9 to +4; and fighting crimes, from -10 to +4.

The SWS survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The survey has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percent for national percentages and plus or minus six percent for area percentages.

Philippine Star

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by a congressional oversight committee reportedly showed that the Arroyo administration has scored satisfaction ratings ranging from 43 percent to 70 percent in 15 out of 20 national issues, including infrastructure and natural calamities.

The statement regarding the survey was released by the office of Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, chairman of the House committee on oversight, which monitored the implementation of President Arroyo’s commitments in her previous State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The survey was conducted from July 13 to 17 or a week before Mrs. Arroyo delivers her 8th SONA today. Suarez however did not say whether the survey was conducted nationwide or in Metro Manila only.

The results of the survey came after the SWS earlier released a non-commissioned survey showing a record plunge in Mrs. Arroyo’s satisfaction ratings to negative 38 percent.

“The highest net satisfaction rating was in infrastructure wherein 70 percent of respondents answered that they were satisfied with the infrastructure projects, particularly repairs of roads at plus 48 percent and installation of traffic signs along the roads by the government at plus 52 percent,” the statement said.

It said the questions were asked in relation to measuring the impact of government projects and programs on the people.

Suarez said the repairs of road and improvement of traffic signs came from the dedicated funds provided in the Motor Vehicle User Charge Act.

The Arroyo administration, however, obtained a negative net satisfaction rating on the following: prosecution of those who cheat in paying taxes at negative four percent; eradicating graft and corruption in government, -13 percent; ensuring that no family will ever be hungry, -19 percent; fighting inflation, -22 percent; and keeping promises at -23 percent, the statement said.

According to the survey, about 67 percent were satisfied in the government’s response during natural calamities with 48 percent favorable rating in terms of helping calamity victims.

“Addressing the concerns during times of distress, the ratings, which cut through ABCDE classes, suggest that the Arroyo administration has satisfied the public,” Suarez said.

This was notwithstanding the fact that at the height of typhoon “Frank” last month, the President was in the United States on an official visit, he said.

Other issues that got positive net satisfaction ratings are environment and natural resources protection at 28 percent and foreign relations at 27 percent.

Addressing basic services and other economic issues by the government garnered passing marks like lowering water rates and mobile phone rates at 21 percent, helping the poor at 19 percent, implementing housing programs for the poor, 18 percent, and lowering electricity rates at 15 percent, Suarez said.

“Efforts of the government in working for and maintaining peace and harmony were recognized by the people as shown by the positive 20 percent net satisfaction rating. On the reconciliation with Muslim rebel issues, fighting crimes at net positive 17 percent and positive 15 percent on the issue of fighting terrorism,” the statement said.

Questions on collecting enough taxes so the government need not borrow to fund programs netted a positive seven percent. In relation to the issue, 76 percent of Filipinos want to reduce the value added tax (VAT) on oil and power.

Palace officials said Mrs. Arroyo is expected to defend the VAT in her SONA today.

– Paolo Romero

Michael Lim Ubac
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—A group of former Cabinet members and other past ranking officials Friday “indicted” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her failed promises, and said that for seven years she had wrought “seven curses” on the nation that left it “enfeebled” and impoverished.

Preempting the State of the Nation Address that Ms Arroyo is to deliver on Monday before Congress, the Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) presented “A Stolen, Not a Strong, Republic,” its strongly worded take on the current Philippine situation.

The FSGO said Ms Arroyo “at the head of our government is the worst threat to the state of our nation.”

“The person pretending to tell us about the dire state of our nation is the very same person who has done the most to destroy the very foundations of our nation, sell its future to its exploiters and abusers, and consign the poor and middle class to deeper poverty and worse despair,” it said.

Asked to comment on the FSGO statement, Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde said:

“These people would know how difficult and how challenging governance is … They’ve had their time and what I can say to them is that this administration can stand on its record, and its record is better than how [they] managed their respective government positions during their time. And since their time is over and now is our responsibility, I hope they’ll give us a chance.”

Roll call

The FSGO’s own “State of the Nation Address” was read by former senator Vicente Paterno to an audience at the De la Salle University in Manila that included corruption whistleblower Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement, former Akbayan party-list representative Etta Rosales, anticrime crusader Tessie Ang-Sy, civil society member Nini Quezon-Avanceña, Alberto Lim of the Makati Business Club, and La Salle Brothers.

The others present included such ex-members of the Arroyo Cabinet as Corazon Soliman, Karina David, Cesar Purisima and Teresita Deles, and officials of past administrations like Benjamin Diokno, Senen Bacani, Tomas Africa, Rodolfo Reyes, Lito Banayo, Fulgencio Factoran and Narzalina Lim.

Also present was Sixto Roxas, who headed the economic planning agency under Ms Arroyo’s late father, President Diosdado Macapagal.

Paterno’s reading was followed by an open forum. At the end, the FSGO members raised their fists and sang the activist anthem “Bayan Ko.”

The FSGO listed “seven curses”: a country unable to feed its people because of mismanagement of the agricultural sector; worsening poverty and increasing inequality; deteriorating basic social services; cancer of corruption; wanton abuse of presidential power; illegitimate presidency; and a nation robbed of dignity, unity, hope and future.

It said these “curses” defined “our shared suffering as a nation these past seven years.”

“A very large share of these truly enormous burdens from dysfunctional governance is added to the already heavy burden on [poor Filipinos], making their suffering much harsher, their poverty much harder to overcome, and even impeding their own efforts to survive and prosper,” it said.

The FSGO said Ms Arroyo had promised the nation a strong republic but “we have realized that she is running a stolen republic.”

“Thus far, we have seen her trying only to keep what she has stolen,” it said.

Karina David said Ms Arroyo had also fared badly in a survey among FSGO members on the performance of various administrations from 1998 to 2008. She said Ms Arroyo garnered a total score of 0.1 on a scale of from 1.0 to 5.0, with 5.0 as the highest.

Expertise

Paterno said that as a group of executives in different administrations since that of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, the FSGO had the expertise to examine the record of the incumbent. He said the nation’s true state could be discerned, not in the speeches of the President, but in “evidence around us.”

Paterno said Ms Arroyo used the powers of the presidency “irresponsibly and selfishly,” and that the “willful and systematic violation” of constitutional mandates harmed and would continue to harm the nation.

“The image of Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned has an echo for us Filipinos today,” he said. “It is the image of our officials’ downing toasts to the leadership of [Ms Arroyo] in New York, Washington and Las Vegas while Filipinos were gasping for air and drowning in the Visayas, a region which up to this time had always been a loyal believer in this government.”

Paterno added: “Corruption has become pervasive, persistent, prolific. And the President, instead of fighting it, has become its prime practitioner and protector. She corrupted the already weak electoral process, the already diminished civil service, and the already politicized public investment and fiscal programs.

“By committing crimes without punishment, abusing power without restraint, and violating rules with impunity yet suffering no adverse consequence, [Ms] Arroyo has turned our most valued principle of ‘public office is a public trust’ into a perversion: ‘Public office is a key to whatever you can get away with.’”

Dark side

Paterno said abuse of presidential power was exemplified by former undersecretary of agriculture Jocelyn Bolante, who he said “represented the worst” of Ms Arroyo’s appointees from 2001 up to the 2004 elections.

Bolante, nicknamed Joc-Joc, is accused of masterminding the diversion of P728 million in fertilizer funds to “ghost” foundations and urban congressional districts to finance Ms Arroyo’s election campaign. He is held in detention in the United States, where he is seeking asylum.

Paterno also said that after the “Hello, Garci” wiretapping scandal in 2005—which suggested fraud in the 2004 presidential election—many capable people left the government for various reasons.

“The balance of power within the GMA [Arroyo] administration between its dark and bright sides tipped radically in favor of the dark side. A new type of presidential appointee along the Joc-Joc Bolante brand dominates,” he said.

Alluding to the administration’s defeated senatorial candidates, Paterno said the appointment to government of others “already rejected by the electorate in 2007 will further darken the complexion of her Cabinet.”

He said Ms Arroyo’s appointees had “no pretense of serving the nation, just the President,” or were “former politicians who eat scandals for breakfast and have acquired callousness to controversy,” or “bureaucrats who see this administration as an opportunity for one more feeding at the public trough before retirement and obscurity.”

Paterno said the FSGO reserved special criticism for Romulo Neri, the incoming Social Security System administrator, who, after exposing an attempted bribery in the national broadband network (NBN) deal with ZTE Corp. of China, “became one of the keepers of evil secrets, protected by the talisman of ‘executive privilege’ as long as he remains in a Cabinet position.”

Re-imagining the nation

Paterno also said that under the Arroyo administration, the Philippines earned global disrepute for forced disappearance and extrajudicial killing of journalists and political activists.

To reclaim democracy, the FSGO has committed to work with political institutions for reform and justice, he said.

Paterno said the group wanted to “re-imagine the nation as something far better and more capable” than the one that Ms Arroyo will paint in her State of the Nation Address on Monday.

“This administration may have stolen the republic, but it will not rob us of our hopes,” he said.

With a report from Christine O. Avendaño; with editing by INQUIRER.net

Helen Flores
Philippine Star

President Arroyo has become the most unpopular Philippine president since Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 after her net satisfaction rating slipped to a new record-low of –38, surpassing the previous record of –33 in May 2005, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Her dissatisfaction rating dropped dramatically to 60 percent, against a satisfaction rating of 22 percent.

“For the first time, gross dissatisfaction is at majority levels in all study areas: 63 percent in Metro Manila, 60 percent in the balance of Luzon, 56 percent in the Visayas, and 62 percent in Mindanao,” the SWS said.

The net satisfaction rating is the difference between the percentage of satisfied and unsatisfied responses.

Results of the survey were released barely a week before Mrs. Arroyo delivers her eighth State of the Nation Address.

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from June 27 to 30, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

At Malacañang, Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde blamed the poor ratings on high oil and food prices.

“The President is paying a high price for making the right decisions on very unpopular issues such as the value-added tax (VAT),” he said.

Remonde said the public also reacted negatively to Mrs. Arroyo’s decision to continue with a trip to the US in June despite the ravages of typhoon “Frank,” which left hundreds of people dead and missing.

“While the President is sensitive to public opinion, she took an oath that requires her to do what is right and not what is popular,” he said.

Remonde said US President George W. Bush also suffers from poor public approval ratings.

“To whom much responsibility is given, much is required. It’s never easy to be President of the Philippines,” he said.

On the other hand, Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said the record low ratings of Mrs. Arroyo did not come as a surprise.

“It’s lonely at the top,” she said in a statement. “Where else shall the people look for relief but from the president and government.”

Fajardo said the sound economic and fiscal programs of Mrs. Arroyo have kept the country afloat in “these rough seas.”

“Popularity is not what is important at this time, much as it is desired, it is not what this administration is after but rather the President and her economic team would rather buckle down to the nitty-gritty of seeking ways to help cushion the effects of the world economic situation and just see to the immediate and effective implementation of programs to benefit our people,” she said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Noli de Castro said yesterday correct but unpopular decisions are behind Mrs. Arroyo’s latest negative net satisfaction rating.

In an interview at the 110th anniversary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, De Castro said the decisions of Mrs. Arroyo may not have been acceptable to many, which could be the reason behind her unpopularity.

He added that she could not be accused of not working hard, since she has always reminded her Cabinet to double their effort since she only has barely two years before her term ends.

“We have barely two years na lang so double effort.”

The SWS said the new net rating is a 12-point drop from net –26 (27 percent satisfied, 54 percent dissatisfied) in the first quarter 2008 survey of March 28-31.

It is the fourth consecutive quarterly drop in Mrs. Arroyo’s net rating since June 2007, when it was a neutral –3, the SWS added.

The SWS said public satisfaction for Mrs. Arroyo dropped in all areas.

Mrs. Arroyo’s net satisfaction rating in the Visayas, where she customarily draws her strongest support, fell by 18 points from –15 in March (36 percent satisfied, 51 percent dissatisfied) to a record-low –33 in June (23 percent satisfied, 56 percent dissatisfied), SWS said.

It fell by eight points in Mindanao, from –33 (26 percent satisfied, 59 percent dissatisfied) to –41 (21 percent satisfied, 62 percent dissatisfied), also a new record-low for the area, the SWS added.

Her net satisfaction ratings fell by 13 points in balance Luzon, from –25 (26 percent satisfied, 51 percent dissatisfied) to –38 (22 percent satisfied, 60 percent dissatisfied).

It also fell by three points in Metro Manila, from –37 (23 percent satisfied, 60 percent dissatisfied) to –40 (23 percent satisfied, 63 percent dissatisfied).

“The existing record-lows in those areas are –47 (May 2005) in balance Luzon and –48 (June 2006) in Metro Manila,” the SWS said.

Between March 2008 and June 2008, Mrs. Arroyo’s net rating fell by 11 points in both urban and rural areas: the former from –27 to –38, the latter from –26 to –37, the SWS added.

Meanwhile, the SWS said Mrs. Arroyo’s net ratings also hit record-lows in all socio-economic classes.

The June 2008 survey found dissatisfaction worsening in all socio-economic classes, with the middle-to-upper classes or ABCs just as dissatisfied now as the masses or class D, the SWS said.

The net satisfaction rating of Mrs. Arroyo fell the most among the middle-to-upper classes or ABCs, the SWS added.

It fell by 23 points, from –14 (34 percent satisfied, 48 percent dissatisfied) last March to –37 (22 percent satisfied, 59 percent dissatisfied) in June, the SWS said.

“The previous record–low for ABCs was –34 in May 2005,” the SWS said.

“It had been positive in February, June and September 2007, when the ratings for the lower D and E classes were negative or zero.”

Mrs. Arroyo’s net rating fell by 11 points among the class D or masses, from net –24 in March (28 percent satisfied, 52 percent dissatisfied) to net –35 in June (23 percent satisfied, 58 percent dissatisfied). The SWS said.

The previous record low for Class D was –34, also in May 2005, the SWS added.

Her net rating fell by eight points in Class E, from net –37 in March (23 percent satisfied, 60 percent dissatisfied) to –45 in June (20 percent satisfied, 65 percent dissatisfied),” the SWS said.

The previous record-low for Class E was –37 in March 2008, the SWS added.

The SWS survey has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percent for national percentages and plus or minus six percent for area percentages.

“The quarterly Social Weather Survey on public satisfaction with the President is a non-commissioned item, and is included on SWS’s own initiative and released as a public service, with first printing rights assigned to BusinessWorld,” the SWS said.

‘GMA not vying for Miss Universe’

Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez sympathizes with Mrs. Arroyo as “two events beyond her control” are being blamed on her.

“The first was an act of nature, typhoon ‘Frank’, which walloped Visayas but has whiplashed the President from undeserved criticisms, despite her directives before, during and after the storm to bring aid and comfort to those who are affected,” he said.

Alvarez said the other one is the unabated oil prices, which is a “global phenomenon.”

“It’s a global phenomenon which even the powerful leader of the most powerful country in the world, Bush, can’t stop, yet we expect our own leader, of a country that consumes a mere 1/500th of   the world’s daily oil production, to buck a global trend and give us our daily dose of cheap gasoline,” he said.

Alvarez said Mrs. Arroyo is running a country, not vying 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,” he said.

Another pro-administration lawmaker, Davao del Norte Rep. Anton Lagdameo, said any president who wants to be popular can simply order that gas be retailed at P20 per liter, rice at P10 a kilo, increase the minimum wage to P1,000 a day, and declare zero taxes on goods.

“But these are not a prescription to popularity; rather, 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.

‘Band-aid solutions’

Ousted President Joseph Estrada described yesterday as “band-aid solutions” Mrs. Arroyo’s economic subsidies for low-income families.

Mrs. Arroyo is not handling the crisis properly, he added.

If he were the president, he would temporarily suspend the expanded value-added tax on oil, Estrada said.

Estrada arrived in Bacolod City yesterday to distribute relief goods to 3,300 families in Sagay, Cadiz and Manapla towns in northern Negros who were victimized by typhoon Frank.

He was accompanied by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former Senate president Ernesto Maceda.

Estrada debunked claims that his relief operation in areas affected by the typhoon is part of his political agenda.

“I have been doing this since I was a superstar, mayor, senator and vice president,” he said.

Estrada said he has a genuine concern for the poor and the displaced.

“They have played a big role in my political career,” he said.

Meanwhile, Estrada expressed optimism that the opposition will be a force to reckon with in the 2010 presidential elections.

Estrada said the United Opposition is seriously looking at six possible candidates for the presidency: Binay, Senators Loren Legarda, Manuel Roxas II, Francis Escudero and Panfilo Lacson, and Senate President Manuel Villar Jr.

Binay said he is aspiring for the top position in the country. However, he will abide by the decision of the opposition, he added.

Controversies downed GMA rating

Senators believe the worsening economic condition of many Filipinos, along with the allegations of corruption and many other controversies, brought down Mrs. Arroyo’s satisfaction rating to -38 in the latest SWS survey.

Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan said the administration’s slogan: Ramdam ang kaunlaran (Feeling the progress) fell flat because rising food and fuel prices.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Mrs. Arroyo’s low rating “reflects incompetence, misgovernance, corruption, extrajudicial killings, disappearances and a presidency without a mandate.”

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said Mrs. Arroyo failed to get the people’s approval because she was addressing the current crisis of high fuel and food prices with stop-gap measures instead of long-term solutions.

However, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said Mrs. Arroyo was not the only one suffering from low satisfaction rating because the rise in oil and food prices was a global phenomenon.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II urged Mrs. Arroyo to use her State of the Nation Address to inspire courage and hope among Filipinos amid a storm of rising oil and food prices, dwindling jobs and threats to law and order.

With  Paolo Romero, Pia Lee-Brago, Delon Porcalla, Antonieta Lopez, Aurea Calica

Christina Mendez
Philippine Star

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, had the most number of absences during the first regular session of the 14th Congress.

Sen. Jamby Madrigal was dubbed the “most tardy senator” after she was marked late for 24 days. She was followed by Juan Miguel Zubiri (22 days) and Biazon (21 days).

Madrigal was marked absent only once but she had five days marked OM (on official mission) and two days considered as OMA (on official mission abroad).

In contrast to Biazon’s nine absences, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, for the third straight year, recorded a perfect attendance during the first regular session of the 14th Congress which covers 88 session days.

Estrada shares the spotlight this year with Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. who recorded no absences and tardiness from the period covering the start of session on July 23, 2007 until the end of session last June 11, 2008.

Senators Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo, Juan Ponce Enrile, Gregorio Honasan, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Francis Pangilinan and Zubiri recorded no absences but they were marked “late” a few times and had days marked OMA or OM.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson also had no tardiness and absences on his record but had three OM and one OMA marks.

Senator Noynoy Aquino was marked late once with no absences, and no OM or OMA on his record.

Next to Biazon with the most number of absences is Sen. Loren Legarda (seven days) with one official mission, followed by Alan Peter Cayetano, Manuel Roxas II and Ramon Revilla Jr. who all recorded four absences; Miriam Defensor Santiago, Richard Gordon and Lito Lapid with two absences.

Senators Pia Cayetano and Francis Escudero were marked absent only once.

Meanwhile, Angara and Santiago are considered the two “most traveled” senators for having been marked OMA for 20 and 15 days, respectively. Gordon, who is also chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, ranked number three, followed by Pimentel (8 OMA) and Joker Arroyo (5 OMA).

Estrada shared the perfect attendance spotlight with former Senate pro-tempore Juan Flavier in the 68 session days of the third regular session of the 13th Congress in 2006-2007. Estrada also scored a perfect attendance during the second regular session of the 13th Congress in 2005-2006.

During the first regular session of the 13th Congress, Flavier, Pimentel, Arroyo, Lapid, Villar, Pia Cayetano, Luisa Ejercito, and Pangilinan also recorded an almost perfect attendance.