Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate. Photo from the Makabayan opposition bloc
Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate said the current administration should reconsider its policies and programs, such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, after President Rodrigo Duterte received his lowest-ever net satisfaction rating.
鈥淎s can be seen on SWS surveys, there is approximately a 2% per month drop in President Duterte鈥檚 satisfaction rating mainly due to the implementation of the TRAIN law and his bullying stance on the peace talks,鈥� the opposition lawmaker said in a statement on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, a survey from the Social Weather Stations revealed that the President had an 11-point decrease in his net satisfaction score for the second quarter of 2018.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte鈥檚 net satisfaction rating drops by 11 points in Q2 鈥� SWS
鈥楾he growing dissatisfaction is bound to happen because as if the TRAIN law is not enough, the Duterte administration also arbitrarily killed the peace negotiations with the NDFP that will supposedly craft comprehensive agreements on social, economic, and political reforms,鈥� Zarate said.
After a speech聽on Tuesday, Duterte told reporters that he was unfazed with the latest result of the survey. He even dared his detractors to make the decline to 15 points.
鈥淚 do not care. Make it 15. Wala na ako diyan. It does not interest me at all,鈥� Duterte said.
Malaca帽ang also defended the ratings, saying that it is still higher than most of the President鈥檚 predecessors at the same stage in their tenures.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte on 11-point rating drop: 鈥業 do not care. Make it 15鈥�
However, Zarate sees a downward trend in the public鈥檚 perception of Duterte鈥檚 performance.
He also sees the President鈥檚 rating to plummet down on a consistent basis, if the government鈥檚 policy does not change.
鈥淣ow, if the TRAIN law is not repealed and it is continuously implemented, high prices prevail, extra-judicial killings continue, contractualization is unabated, the subservience to US and China persists, and the peace talks is not resumed [鈥 then we would not be surprised if it will plunge further faster,鈥� Zarate said.
鈥淚f they want to significantly address this decline then it is obviously what the Duterte administration has to do,鈥� he explained. /jpv