• Palace acknowledges latest survey on administration’s net satisfaction rating
• Palace says Reproductive Health Law supports responsible parenting
• Government efforts to secure Pope Francis were effective, Palace official says
• Palace defends President Aquino’s speech after his meeting with Pope Francis

“We take cognizance of the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations, which shows a net satisfaction rating of +34 for the general performance of the administration,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement.

The survey was conducted from November 27 to December 1 last year, using face-to-face interviews with 1,800 adults nationwide, during which they were asked to rate the performance of the government on certain issues.

According to the survey results, 58 percent of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the government’s performance, while 24 percent said they were dissatisfied. Some 17 percent of the respondents were undecided.

Among the issues that received a rating of “good” were: helping victims of disasters (+42); defending the country’s territorial rights (+40); providing enough supply of electricity (+38); promoting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (+38); foreign relations (+33); helping the poor (+33); and preparing for climate change (+31).

Meanwhile, the issue on fighting inflation received a “poor” rating of -12; while the issue on resolving the Maguindanao massacre case with justice got a “bad” rating of -41.

Secretary Coloma assured the public that the government will continue to address these issues.

“In the remaining months of the administration, we shall continue to ramp up the implementation of vital plans, activities and programs in order to achieve our goals of inclusive growth, especially in the areas of peace and order, job security and livelihood, strengthening the purchasing power of consumers and providing justice to the victims of the Maguindanao massacre,” he said. PND (ag) 

“Ang pinakamahalagang aspeto nito (RH Law) ay ang pagtuturo ng kaalaman sa ating mga mamamayan kung paano magiging responsableng magulang, sapagkat ang kinokosidera natin dito ay ang pagbibigay sa kanila ng sapat na kakayahan na buhayin ang kanilang mga anak at magtatag ng mga matitibay na pamilya, na isa sa mga focal points ng papal visit,” Communication Secretary Hermino Coloma, Jr. said during Tuesday’s press briefing in Malacañang.Pope Francis, on his flight back to Rome, appealed for responsible parenting, saying that good Catholics do not have to breed “like rabbits.” He however reiterated the Church ban on contraceptives, suggesting natural family planning methods.

The government has passed a law making artificial contraceptives easily available, a move that has met opposition from the Church.

Asked to comment on Pope Francis’ statement, Secretary Coloma said the government, through the RH Law, also encourages responsible parenting.

“Sinabi ng Santo Papa na mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng mga matatatag na pamilya, at siyempre, ang matatag na pamilya ay nakabatay sa kabutihan at sa kaalaman. Iyan din ang layunin ng patakaran ng pamahalaan,” he explained.

“Kaya’t dapat lang siguro pagkatapos nitong pagdalaw ng Santo Papa ay magkaroon ng mas maigting na pagtutulungan sa ating lipunan ang iba’t ibang mga sektor at stakeholders, para mapalakas po natin ang mga pamilya. At isa sa mga paraan dito ay ang pagkakaroon ng mga responsableng magulang.”

He noted that the Church and the government may not agree on every aspect of the RH Law but they should focus on “common ground for common action”.

“Hindi po magkahalintulad sa lahat ng aspeto ang posisyon ng pamahalaan at ng simbahan at kinikilala din natin ang pagkakaiba. Pero habang may pagkakaiba, puwede namang maumpisahan na ang pagtutulungan at pagbabayanihan batay sa pinagkasunduan at pinagkaisahan,” he said.

“Kaya ‘yan ang pokus ng ating pamahalaan, ang pagkasunduan, pagtulungan ang mga aspeto na puwedeng maging batayan para matulungan natin ang nakararami sa ating mga kababayan, para magtatag tayo ng mga mas matitibay na pamilya at sa ganoong paraan ay lalong bumuti ang ating lipunan,” Coloma said. PND (ag)

Asked during a press briefing at the Palace if there were grave threats to the Pope, Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said the government dealt with “generic threats.”

“Ayon mismo kay Pangulong Aquino, ang mga batid ng ating mga intelligence agencies ay ang tinawag niyang ‘generic threats’ at hindi mga ‘specific threats’,” Secretary Coloma said.“Ang lahat ng mga banta na natutukan at napagalaman ay siniyasat, at nakita naman natin na sa buong kaganapan ng pagdalaw ng Santo Papa ay hindi naman ito nagambala sa anumang paraan,” he said, reassuring the public that the authorities have been looking into and will always check any security threat.

After his five-day visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis safely returned to Rome on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 801, arriving at the Ciampino Airport at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday, Philippine time. PND (ag)

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said during the daily press briefing at the Palace that in his speech, the President was merely recounting his personal experiences and observations regarding the role played by the Church in the country.

“Makatotohanan ang kanyang talumpati at wala siyang layuning mapanira,” Secretary Coloma said.

“The speech was a truth-telling statement. If we review the entire text, we will understand the context. It was a narrative that is historically accurate and truthful and there is no singling out of any personality or any group,” he explained.

He described the President’s speech as a personal testimony of someone who experienced the events he was talking about.

Following his 15-minute closed-door meeting with Pope Francis, President Aquino spoke about the Church’s “silence” while abuses were being committed by the previous administration.

The speech drew criticisms from netizens who called it “inappropriate.”

“It was a truthful statement and there was no other purpose for that speech except to tell the truth,” said Coloma. PND (ag)