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Thursday, December 04, 2003
Palace unperturbed by plunge in Arroyo's popularity rating
MALACAŅANG Wednesday tried to justify the fall in President Arroyo's net satisfaction rating by saying that the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey was taken during a turbulent period in the country.
The Nov. 8-24 SWS survey showed that Arroyo's net rating plummeted from positive 2 per cent to negative 3 per cent because she changed her mind and declared her presidential bid and because most respondents believe that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is Jose Pidal.
It was the second time this year and during Arroyo's presidency that she got negative marks. The first time was during the SWS March 10-25 survey because she supported the US campaign against Iraq.
The recent survey also showed a drop in the ratings of Congress, the Supreme Court, and Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. because of the impeachment controversy.
"The survey was conducted during a most controversial period that dragged down the ratings of almost all institutions in our democratic system," presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.
Bunye said Arroyo's rating took a further nosedive because she "took a principled but unpopular stand during the impeachment controversy" by resolving the issue through a covenant, which was construed by many as a weakness.
Housing czar Michael Defensor, administration coalition spokesman on campaign and political issues, said Arroyo's lower rating was brought about more by the impeachment controversy than her reneging on her earlier decision not to run, as proven by the drop in the marks of government institutions and the country's other top officials.
"It may have been unpopular but it solved the crisis and we hope that now that we are unified and now that there is no crisis, that we can continue in governance and help our country develop," Defensor said.
Defensor also dismissed the survey result that movie action king Fernando Poe Jr. now leads the presidentiables and that Arroyo is now running fourth.
He said "statistically it's a tie," because Arroyo has the highest performance rating of 32 per cent relative to all the candidates. He said this means Filipinos are "very appreciative" of the performance of the President. SCT
(December 4, 2003 issue)
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