"Very Good" satisfaction ratings for a good start

There is no doubt, President Noynoy Aquino passed his first 100 days with a "Very Good" satisfaction ratings according to the Social Weather Stations. "The survey showed 71 percent of respondents were satisfied with Mr. Aquino’s performance, and 11 percent dissatisfied" or a net satisfaction ratings of 60 percent.

The palace is elated, of course, but this should not be a reason for them to rest on their laurels. As Joker Arroyo said, P-Noy's first 100 days was “not designed as a dry-run or on-the-job training period for the President.” Besides, P-Noy got the rating with "the shortcomings, the underperformance of his (advisers),”who, it seems, he doesn't want to replace especially the U-Sec in hotwater, Rico Puno.

But hopefully, things will change. P-Noy is a fast learner so it is impossible that he won't learn from ousted president, Joseph Estrada. Estrada also got 100 percent satisfaction ratings on his first 100 days but eventually was kicked out of the Palace for misgovernance and involvement in jueteng -- the illegal numbers game that is unfortunately dragging Puno down.

P-Noy and Estrada, however, did not top the satisfaction ratings for the first 100 days in office as Chief Executive. The title holder is Fidel "Tabako" Ramos with 66 percent. In the fourth place is Corazon Aquino, P-Noy's mother with 53 percent, and at the bottom is the infamous president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with 24 percent.

Credibility Problem

In virtual forums, there is this large number of US citizens demanding the resignation of George W. Bush for suffering a decreasing satisfaction rating. Sabi nila, dati ang rating ni Bush ay lagpas 50%. Minsan nga daw lumagpas din ito ng 60%. Pero ngayon, lagpas na lang ng 40% kaya dapat na itong mag-resign.

Most of the Republicans, Bush's political party, slightly agree. But since the November presidential elections is just a few months away, it is better that the idea be shelved na lang. Instead of resigning, wag na lang daw sumama si Bush sa kampanya ng pambatong kandidato ng mga Republicans na si John McCain.

Well, kahit papano, me nipis din pala ng mukha itong mga Kano. So winner pa rin si Aling Gloria na negative na nga ang rating, ayaw pang umalis. At hindi nga buwan ang bibilangin kundi taon pa bago dumating ang eleksiyon!

Kung sabagay, hindi lang naman niya solo ang problema. Si Toting Bunye na sabi ng ilang espiritu santong prayle na nakausap ni Tikboy ay isang magaling at respetadong tao sana bago nadikit kay Aling Gloria, naapektuhan na rin. So when he left his office as a presidential spokesperson, kumabit na sa kanya ang mantsa at amoy ng baho ni Aling Gloria. Tiyak, susunod na rin dito si Lorelei Fajardo at Anthony Golez. Mahahawa rin sila tiyak... o nahawa na nga. Consider, for instance, Ms. Fajardo's twisted logic.

A good accompanying read with this is the Daily Tribune's Editorial: A problem of credibility.

GMA and her unsatisfaction ratings

A few days ago, the Social Weather Stations released the results of its latest round of surveys measuring the satisfaction ratings of the sitting-president of the Pilay na Republic.... err, Philippine Republic, Gloria Arroyo. As usual, di pa rin ito nakakaahon sa lusak. From negative 16% in December 2007, her ratings further dived to negative 26% this March. And it is expected that the figure will further search the bottom of the Mariana Trench with the alleged crisis in rice.

Ang nakapagtataka, the ratings of the Visayans who, Arroyo claims as the Filipinos who loved her very much, continue to dip from positive 1% last September to negative 9% last December and now to negative 15%. Ibig sabihin, the people who were slow to get aroused by her mal-governance are now expressing their feelings against her. Isn't she alarmed?

Kung sabagay, there is no cause for the alarm sabi nga ni Toting Bunye. It's just a survey at gawa lang yan ng oposisyon. Ever since naman, pag negative news, gawa yan ng oposisyon pero pag maganda ang resulta ng survey, that's correct sabi ng administrasyon. Look at the survey on hunger and food sufficiency last year. Tuwang-tuwa pa kamo ang Malakanyang. But did the survey really trickle down to the grassroots? Only the NSCB figures on poverty as well as the food shortage this year can say.

Pero there is really no cause for alarm. So what kung mababa ang satisfaction ratings? Look at Ramon Magsaysay, highly popular pero di natapos ang term. Si Joseph Estrada, hari ng masa, very popular, di natapos ang term. Si Fernando Poe Jr., pinaka-popular pero ni hindi man lang nakaupo kahit isang minuto para sa kanyang term... BUT: Look at Ferdinand Marcos, unpopular pero nagsilbi ng kung ilang terms. And here is Gloria, very unpopular pero nakaupo for more than one term na...

O di ba?