If we’re to go by the
results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, public satisfaction
with the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has reached its lowest
point thus far.
The survey, conducted
from March 20 to 23 this year with 1,200 respondents, revealed that Aquino
obtained a net satisfaction rating of a “moderate” +11 (those satisfied minus
unsatisfied), from “good” +39 from December 2014.
Public satisfaction
with the Aquino administration dropped 35 points from +47 rating it obtained
from the same period last year.
The survey also showed
that Aquino’s satisfaction rating plunged in all geographic areas and all
socioeconomic classes.
This precipitous
plunge in PNoy’s public satisfaction ratings bodes ill for the rest of his term
which ends in June next year.
With many Filipinos
now doubting his ability to steer the nation’s affairs with competence, PNoy
will plod through the next 15 months as a lameduck, unable to command the
respect of his subordinates in government.
It is true that this
would adversely affect whoever the ruling political party would field in the
May 2016 elections.
Conversely, the
standard bearer of the political opposition could seize PNoy’s falling
ratings to gain political ground and muster support from a broader
section of the population.
Apart from that,
PNoy’s paltry ratings at this point would definitely affect his ability to
embark on new reform programs.
While the
administration trumpets its achievements in the economic sphere, such as
the better-than-expected 7 percent GDP growth which makes the country the
second best performing economy in Asia after China, the reality is that the
benefits of such growth has not trickled down to the masses. Poverty levels
have not gone down as borne out by official statistics.
That’s not all. The
much-vaunted public-private partnership (PPP) program has not made much headway
beyond the award of a handful of projects to winning bidders. Thus, not one PPP
project will have been finished by June 30, 2016. Our backward infrastructure
is one of the main reasons why foreign investors hesitate to put their
money here.
And speaking of
foreign investments, we’re laggards in attracting foreign capital compared to
our neighbors in Southeast Asia.
While the Aquino
administration should be commended for pursuing the peace process with the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the recent Mamasapano fiasco is likely to set
back efforts to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law now pending in Congress.
The BBL will give
flesh to the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the MILF
signed in October last year. But if it is delayed or shelved by the
legislature, the peace process would be in limbo.
Analysts are one in
saying that the Mamasapano incident is the immediate cause of PNoy’s falling
ratings. That may well be true. But we would like to think that the
dissatisfaction with PNoy stems from a confluence of factors. Among these would
be the half-hearted or rather selective implementation of the anti-corruption
campaign, with only those from the opposition now in jail for the pork
barrel scam. Another would be the unstable peace and order situation, with news
reports of criminality and lawlessness making headlines on a daily basis.
If we extend the
analysis further, what the plunge in PNoy’s ratings means is that his mantra of
pursuing the “daang matuwid” or straight path now sounds hollow.
What is also becoming
clearer is that Aquino listens only to his own voice, not the voice of his
supposed “bosses”—the people. This is evident in his stubborn refusal to
take ultimate responsibility as commander-in-chief and apologize to the nation
over the Mamasapano tragedy.
PNoy’s ratings plunge
is likely to trigger renewed calls for his resignation. But we doubt if those
calling for his resignation can harness enough public support for their cause.
For one thing, the 2016 election is just around the corner. Even Vice President
Jejomar Binay, who has publicly announced his intention to run for President
next year, does not support the call for PNoy’s resignation.
What President Aquino
needs to do now is to review his priorities and strive to regain lost ground
through policies and programs that will uphold good governance and sustain
economic growth. Otherwise, he runs the risk of further alienation from the
Filipino people that gave him an overwhelming mandate in the 2010 polls. -end-
