SOLDIERING ON Despite the net satisfaction rating of his administration dropping to its lowest level, President Aquino continues to perform his duties, including the swearing in of newly promoted generals led by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang at Rizal Hall in Malaca帽ang on Monday. RYAN LIM/MALACA脩ANG PHOTO BUREAU
MANILA, Philippines鈥揃elittling the Aquino administration鈥檚 lowest satisfaction rating since 2010, Malaca帽ang on Monday expressed confidence that it would not diminish the power of President Aquino鈥檚 endorsement in the 2016 elections.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the elections were still 鈥渢oo far away鈥� for Aquino鈥檚 endorsement to be affected by the drop in public satisfaction with the national government.
鈥淓veryone wants his anointment,鈥� he said in a press briefing.
Vice President Jejomar Binay earlier said he was open to a coalition between his United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and the President鈥檚 Liberal Party (LP) for his presidential run in 2016.
But Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, the presumptive administration standard-bearer lagging behind Binay in the surveys, appeared cool to the idea.
Lacierda said the Palace was not bothered by the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing a +29 net satisfaction rating in June, down from +45 in March.
The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.
Results of the survey, conducted from June 27 to 30 and first published in BusinessWorld showed that 56 percent of the respondents, said they were satisfied with the performance of the government, 26 percent were dissatisfied and 18 percent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, resulting in a 鈥渕oderate鈥� plus 29 net satisfaction rating.
鈥淚s it insurmountable? No, of course not,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not going to be paralyzed by any survey. Our commitment is there to protect the welfare of the Filipino people.鈥�
Snapshot
Lacierda described the SWS survey results as a 鈥渟napshot鈥� of the 鈥渓andscape at the time the survey is taken.鈥�
鈥淚t varies 鈥� so we will always be committed and we will be undeterred in performing and committing to serve the Filipino people,鈥� he said.
The results may be a record low for the administration, but Lacierda preferred to look at it as the 鈥渉ighest鈥� satisfaction rating compared with Aquino鈥檚 predecessors.
鈥淚t is still considered the highest of the lowest among the other previous administrations,鈥� he said.
Viable candidate
Senate President Franklin Drilon, an LP official, said the President鈥檚 endorsement would propel Roxas鈥� ratings and make him a viable administration candidate in 2016.
鈥淚 would like to think it will,鈥� Drilon replied when asked if the President鈥檚 anointment would raise Roxas鈥� flagging ratings in surveys.
鈥淭he endorsement of the President鈥� whoever he will endorse will benefit [from it],鈥� he told reporters after a forum at the Diamond Hotel.
Behind Binay鈥檚 41 percent
In a June 24 to July 2 Pulse Asia survey on the top choice for President, Roxas ended up last, with 7 percent behind Binay鈥檚 41 percent, Sen. Grace Poe鈥檚 12 percent and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada鈥檚 9 percent.
Without naming anybody, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, another LP stalwart, said a presidential endorsement would be an advantage for the administration candidate.
鈥淎n endorsement from a popular and an indisputably incorruptible president is a huge advantage for any candidate running for President,鈥� Abad said in a text message.
The 2016 presidential election is seen as a possible rerun of the bitter rivalry between Binay, who has announced plans to run for President, and Roxas. The interior secretary lost to Binay in the 2010 vice presidential race.
Roxas would carry the flag for the LP, the acting party president, Transportation Secretary Joseph E. A. Abaya, said in March.
Drilon, LP vice chair, announced in January 2013 that Roxas would be the party鈥檚 standard-bearer in 2016.
LP for someone winnable
A party member in the House of Representatives, however, disputed observations that the LP was solid behind Roxas, saying some party members were lukewarm to the secretary.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for someone winnable,鈥� said the lawmaker, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.
Drilon, meanwhile, quashed any talk of a possible tandem between Binay and Roxas in 2016.
鈥淲e never talk about it. We have our own process in the party, and that is the process that we will follow. We have not discussed that. And ultimately, as I said, the President鈥檚 views on this matter will greatly influence the decision of the party,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t this point, I have not heard of any member of the party proposing that (tandem).鈥�
Neither is the party talking about adopting Binay, Drilon said.
Binay earlier said he was open to the idea of having Roxas as his running mate. Roxas shot this down, claiming that UNA鈥檚 agenda runs counter to the party鈥檚 reform agenda.鈥�With a report from Ana Roa, Inquirer Research
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