President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s ratings will continue to inspire the administration to work harder and address the needs of the Filipino people.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella noted that despite the change, the net satisfaction rating of the President remains “good” and the trust rating remains “very good.”
“The Social Weather Stations Third Quarter Survey saw PRRD’s satisfaction rating at 67 percent and trust rating at 73 percent,” Abella said at a press briefing in Malacañan.
“The change in the President’s satisfaction rating, from 78 percent in June to 67 percent in September, and trust rating, from 82 percent in June to 73 percent in September, is expected given the fact that people start measuring their expectations usually after the honeymoon period, or after a year in office,” he added.
“It is worth noting that surveys are snapshots of the public mood at a given time and the SWS survey was conducted between September 23-27, just 2 days after the National Day of Protest – the bold PRRD initiative allowing citizens to freely vent their grievances about the excesses and shortcomings of the government – and some sentiments may have spilled over,” he further said.
He stressed that given the trust and confidence of a large majority, the Duterte administration will continue to work harder to deliver the President’s campaign promises of eliminating corruption, drugs and criminality and bringing a comfortable life for all.
He likewise enjoined everyone “to set aside self-interest and together build a nation worthy of the next generation.”
On another matter, Abella issued a statement on the dismissal of Police Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio and Police Director Joel Pagdilao.
“In line with the President’s promise to render the nation crime and corruption free, he has dismissed from service two presidential appointees who are officials of the Philippine National Police,” he said.
Tinio and Pagdilao were found “administratively liable for serious neglect of duty and serious irregularity in the performance of duty, and have been duly dismissed”.
“Evidence shows that both generals deliberately refused, without cause, to perform their duties as police officers resulting in the proliferation of the drug trade in their areas of jurisdiction,” Abella said.
The Palace spokesperson also commented on the dismissal Police Superintendent Lito Cabamongan of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory.
He said the dismissal “highlights the efforts to rid the ranks of misfits and scalawags that destroy the integrity of the entire organization.”
“The removal of a high-ranking officer serves as a strong reminder to the uniformed personnel to honor and to uphold always their sworn duty to serve and protect our people and our country,” he added.
Marawi update
Malacañang also reported that the Task Force Bangon Marawi recently held its 4th All-Agency Meeting at the National Emergency Operations Center in Iligan City.
The task force through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH) continuously attend to the needs of the internally displaced persons through distribution of food, non-food items and medicines and the provision of medical and counseling services. Moreover, the implementation of cash-for-work program is ongoing.
Skills trainings on dressmaking, woodworking, vegetable production and food processing particularly in the production of Maranao delicacies are likewise continuously being conducted through Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and Department of Agriculture.
On housing and reconstruction, the installation of distribution lines for the transitional shelter site in Barangay Sagonsongan, Marawi has already been completed.
Transitional shelters are being constructed and plans for the permanent housing are being discussed in close coordination with the Marawi City local government unit.
Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., the AFP spokesman, also gave an update on the situation in Marawi.
He said as of October 8, government security forces have so far neutralized 774 enemies. They also recovered 810 high-powered firearms.
The current focus of the AFP is to clear around 200 buildings in about five to seven hectare area, according to Padilla. He estimated the enemies to be just around 40 to 60 combatants, a major drop in number from the initial days of the fighting.
“So hostages, the numbers we got are about 40. So our operations will still continue in the same manner that they have been carried out ever since, because the objective of ground operations is not only to clear the area of armed elements but also to rescue all these remaining hostages from the hands of these rebels,” Padilla said. ###PND
