Public won’t be duped

Filipinos will not be at the losing end with President Rodrigo Duterte who pledged to continue working until his last day in office to serve and protect the interest and welfare of the Filipino people, Chief presidential Legal Counsel and spokesman Salvador Panelo disclosed.

Panelo, however, said the Chief Executive is unmindful of the laurels he has been reaping in terms of the people’s acceptance, particularly the record-high survey ratings lately as he vowed to continue with his job until his term ends on 30 June 2022.

“Recent survey numbers mirror and measure the performance of this administration. It signifies that almost all Filipinos, with more than eight out of 10 of them, feeling that there has been a genuine, meaningful and positive change in almost every aspect of society, as solemnly committed by PRRD (the President’s initials) during the campaign in 2016,” he added.

Panelo said the President’s stratospheric approval rating is unprecedented as history will tell that no President has passed the midpoint of his presidential term with such a high number.

“It has always been a downtrend. President Duterte overcame this trajectory. The disapproval rating has been reduced to a measly five percent, he added.

“The figures in the survey graphically show how the Filipino people are united in cementing their support to the President and in agreement with the government programs geared toward uplifting the social and economic condition of the masses of our people.”

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles attributed the sharp climb in the approval rating of the President to the belief that top concerns of the people are being addressed by the administration.

In a statement, Nograles said the ratings validated government figures that reflect the positive impact of programs aimed at improving salaries, reining in inflation and generating jobs.

He explained that the rating of the Chief Executive have risen because the main concerns of the populace like better wages, the prices of basic goods, and jobs are being addressed under the Duterte administration.

“Historically, surveys — including the one conducted right before the SoNA in June — consistently show that the top concerns of our people are higher wages, the prices of basic commodities, and jobs,” Nograles said.

“In connection with this, recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the Duterte Administration has made significant progress in these three areas,” he added

The record grade on the President is followed by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, with approval ratings of 84 percent and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano at 80 percent.

Nograles, however, said that while the approval ratings are welcome news, “at the end of the day, the numbers that matter to the President are the figures that show that our countrymen are employed, are paid well, and can afford their basic necessities.”

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) previously issued its preliminary report on the official poverty statistics of the country. PSA data revealed that the mean salaries and wages for the population went up by 22.8 percent to 156,114 pesos in 2018 from 127,122 pesos in 2015.

“For those in the lower 30 percent of the population, on the other hand, mean per capita income increased by 31.87 percent. This is in indicator that government programs targeting the poor are hitting their mark,” Nograles explained.

“As for prices, inflation in November was at 1.3 percent — and our economic managers expect them to remain within the target of 2 percent to 4 percent,” he added.

Nograles said that insofar as jobs generation is concerned, NEDA chief Ernesto Pernia recently reported that the country’s unemployment and underemployment figures are at their lowest in 14 years, with unemployment at 5.1 percent and underemployment at 14 percent.

“We have 1.3 million new jobs and 2.3 million fewer unemployed Filipinos. This means we are also on track to keep unemployment within the 4.7 percent to 5.3 percent range, consistent with the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan,” Nograles explained.

“Now, close to nine out of ten of those surveyed say they are happy with the performance of the administration, because they know this firsthand: Duterte delivers,” he indicated.

“This latest approval rating is a clear repudiation of the fabricated tale and the false narratives of the haters of the President including the foreign entities that have joined the fray with blinders in their eyes,” he added.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar gave the public assurance that the Duterte administration will continue to undertake necessary government programs, reforms and actions in support of its goals as they aim for a better Philippines.

The Palace official added that despite the relentless attacks and criticisms from the opposition and critics, they will continue to strive to provide better services to all the Filipinos and for the country to achieve overall development and success.

“With an almost double figure increase in just a short span of time, this is a testament to the Duterte Administration’s efficiency and commitment towards serving the Filipinos,” Andanar added.

“Furthermore, our dedication towards reducing the crime rate in the country and minimizing the poverty rate to 16.6 percent while making sure the inflation rate is at bay have also contributed to this outstanding result,” he said.

In the survey, the highest approval score for the President was in his bailiwick in Mindanao at 98 percent, up by six percentage points from September’s 92 percent. Pulse Asia also saw an improved approval rating of Duterte in urban (89 percent from 73 percent) and rural (86 percent from 83 percent) areas.