• President Aquino declares December 10 a special holiday in Meycauayan, Bulacan
• Palace welcomes survey results showing more Filipinos expect President Aquino to succeed

President Aquino made the declaration through Proclamation No. 1176 to give the people of Meycauayan the opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion.

The proclamation was signed last December 1.

“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Meycauayan, Bulacan be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies,” the proclamation stated. PND (co)

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said positive results, such as those of the latest SWS survey, continue to inspire the Aquino administration to improve the lives of the Filipino people.

“With all these efforts to strengthen our country’s partnerships, it is encouraging that more Filipinos now expect President Aquino to be successful as a president,” Secretary Lacierda said.

The survey, conducted from September 2 to 5, showed that 35 percent of the respondents expect President Aquino to be successful, 26 percent believe he would be unsuccessful, and 39 percent said it is still too early to tell.

The figures have improved compared to the results of a June 2014 survey that indicated that 29 percent believed President Aquino would be successful, 21 percent thought he would be unsuccessful, and 50 percent said it was too early to tell.

“This latest figure was fueled by increases across most geographical areas and social classes,” Secretary Lacierda said in the statement.

He further said that as the country gears up for the 2016 national and local elections, it is up to the Filipino people to sustain the momentum of “Daang Matuwid”, the government’s straight path advocacy, “and ensure that the gains of recent years will be felt by generations to come”.

Commenting on the results of a commissioned survey on the presidential race, Lacierda said there are still six months before the elections are held.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte topped the survey with 38 percent, followed by Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay with 21 percent each, administration standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II with 15 percent, and Senator Miriam Santiago with 4 percent.

The survey, conducted from November 26 to 28 by the SWS, was reportedly commissioned by a Davao-based businessman.

“There is still a good six months to go before the elections. So the obligation of each candidate is to present (his/her) platform; and while there will be repeated surveys before May (2016), the only survey that matters is actually (the one to be conducted in) May. That is the only survey that we will be looking forward to,” Lacierda told reporters during Monday’s press briefing at the Palace.

“When you present your platform, people will discern who will best bring the country forward. Doon makikita,” he said.

He further said that it is natural for the candidate who topped the survey to take advantage of it.

“It is something that you would hype. So, I will not be surprised if (the) Duterte camp would hype the numbers but again, this is a marathon, this is not a sprint. So, we will wait for the survey in May or the elections in May to happen.” PND (co)