United Opposition (UNO) vice presidential candidate Jejomar C. Binay has told Malacañang to stop blaming critics for Mrs. Arroyo’s very bad satisfaction rating in a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
"They should stop blaming the opposition and the media. She has no one to blame but herself. As the song goes, nobody, nobody but you Mrs. Arroyo,’" Binay said.
"Her negative 53 percent rating is the outcome of public outrage over the scandals, the disrespect for the law, and the misery she inflicted on the poor through such oppressive measures as the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT)," Binay added.
The survey, conducted from March 19-22, showed that only 16 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with Mrs. Arroyo while a whopping 69 percent were dissatisfied with her performance, thus resulting to a net satisfaction of -53 percent.
This is a 15 percent drop from -38 percent in December 2009, surpassing her previous record low rating of negative 50 posted in July 2008.
"Had this embarrassing rating of a national leader happened in the United Kingdom or Japan, it could have led to resignations. But here (in the Philippines), Mrs. Arroyo is blaming everyone else except herself," Binay said. Binay cited the scandals that have plagued the Arroyo administration, such as the NBN-ZTE broadband deal, excessive travel spending, the P728-million fertilizer scam, and the World Bank suspension of its $232 million loan for road improvement due to collusion and corruption.
He also noted the country’s continued rise in the ranks of the world’s most corrupt nations, unresolved extrajudicial killings, the merciless slaying of journalists in Maguindanao, attempts to coddle political allies who run afoul of the law and the massive cheating in the 2004 presidential election.
"The problem is that officials of this (Arroyo) government think they can get away with abusing the people. The nation has never witnessed such blatant disregard for the rule of law, and the rampant graft and corruption in the government as in the past nine years. And they always get caught with their hands in the cookie jar," said Binay.
"If Malacañang wants somebody to blame for Mrs. Arroyo’s lack of popularity – if they want to pin this on anyone, they only have to look at their boss," he said.
The opposition leader said their campaign has consistently focused on issues.
"Our campaign plat-form is simple. Good governance, social equity, peace and order and economic development. Has this government been able to deliver these? I guess that is the only barometer that needs to be considered now," Binay said May the experiences and the lessons learned in the last nine (9) years of the Arroyo administration be the basis the voters will use in their choices of candidates for the national, and local elections on May 10, 2010.
The Philippines and the Filipino people may not be able to withstand the hardships and jeopardies the nation has been suffering in the Arroyo government./MP
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