Philippine gov't dismisses Arroyo's lower support rate

The Philippine government Friday defended President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "solid acceptance" despite a latest survey showing her declined satisfaction rating.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said that Arroyo's satisfaction rating may have been weighed down by the economic problems but she still has solid acceptance.

The survey conducted by the Social Weather Station showed that President Arroyo's net satisfaction rating plummeting to 12 percent in August from 26 percent in June.

The survey has emphasized the relationship in the dissatisfaction rating with Arroyo and suspicions of her cheating during the May election.

However, 55 percent of the 1,200 respondents still believed that opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. and his running mate, former senator Loren Legarda, were cheated of victory in the election.

The polling company said that Arroyo, unlike her predecessors --former presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada, obtained very high net ratings, reaching 60 percent in the first few months of office.

"Thus the public have not given President Arroyo a post-election-victory honeymoon," the SWS said.

On the other hand, Bunye blamed the prevailing "economic crisis" in the country and the media for not giving Arroyo the traditional "honeymoon period."

Dismissing the speculation on Arroyo's cheating in the election,the spokesman called for more attention on the present economic problems.

"The polls on cheating are a throwback to the past. The Presidential Electoral Tribunal has already taken jurisdiction over the issues. We have to shed off these perceptions and get on with the difficult task at hand," Bunye said.

He also appealed for continued support to the president amid the fiscal crisis.

"She has solutions, which, with the understanding and support of the people, will carry us through our difficulties," he said.

"I recall that in a previous survey the majority of the people showed acceptance of the results of the election and would prefer to move on to the more urgent task of nation-building," he added.

Source: Xinhua