Admin erratic policies blamed for rating drop

MANILA - Albay Representative Edcel Lagman believed that the recent decline in President Rodrigo Duterte's ratings stems more from the administration's erratic policies, flawed pronouncement, and cardinal failures.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Lagman enumerated the possible causes of Duterte's satisfaction and trust ratings.

A latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey stated that from +66, the President's net satisfaction rating drop to +48. His trust ratings likewise went down by 15 points in the same survey.

Lagman said the President's popularity and trust ratings plummeted because of: the unabated summarily killings of suspected drug users and dealers; the consistent predisposition to authoritarian rule; the inordinate vindictiveness and reprisal against critics; the Persistent purveying of patent lies and twisting of the truth; and the unredeemed promises like alleviating poverty, solving the drug problem and traffic mess and forging peace with the left and Muslim separatists.

Lagman, a member of the opposition Liberal Party, said instead of making excuses, "the administration should respond to these serious indictments."

"The more the administration makes excuses, the more these ratings would fall," he said.

Asked if he thinks that the survey decline is selfinflicted, Albay answered in the affirmative.

"I can agree to that [survey decline was selfMANILA

inflicted] because the President has not really made the necessary change he has promised," Lagman said. "No change has ever come... expect changes on the treatment of suspected criminals, changes on the treatment of critics and a consistent threatening predisposition to authoritarian rule," he added.

Pampanga Representative Gloria Arroyo, for her part, said that it is not the job of the President to make popular decisions.

"The rise and drop in a President's approval ratings are bound to happen in the course of his/her term. It is part of the territory. It reflects the pulse of the people at a particular time. A drop though does not mean erosion of public support but merely a sentiment on particular policies," said Arroyo who served as President for nine years.

"But the job of a President is not to make popular decisions. He should make decisions for the greater good though unpopular," she added.

Arroyo shared that she had to endure the same process when she was President of the country.

"I had to endure this process myself when I made tough and unpopular decisions that ultimately redounded to the common good," she said.

Arroyo said the President should not be worried about his rating drop. "This is a blip, especially because the survey was taken at the height of the controversy over socalled EJK’s (extrajudicial killings) in the war against drugs," Arroyo said. SunStar Philippines