Estrada laughs off dipping ratings

"One step backward, two steps forward."

This was how President Estrada laughed off his plunging popularity ratings, saying this was actually "a blessing in disguise. You will see who your friends are when your ratings are down."

Yesterday, he was seen with Philippine Airlines chairman Lucio Tan in Laguna, where the President led a ceremonial harvest of a new breed of rice named after him.

"There is only one enemy now and that is poverty," the President said. "We are doing everything in order to succeed in this fight."

"But I cannot win this alone. I need your help," he added.

The February survey showed that Mr. Estrada's net satisfaction rating plunged to negative 13 percent, based on a Manila area telephone survey commissioned by the government.

The poll showed that 44 percent of the respondents were dissatisfied with the President's performance, compared with 31 percent who were satisfied. The remaining 25 percent were undecided.

In a similar survey in January, 30 percent said they were satisfied and 39 percent dissatisfied, according to the results released last Tuesday.

Previous nationwide surveys have also shown a sharp fall in the satisfaction ratings of Mr. Estrada.

His sagging popularity has been blamed on a series of controversies over his haphazard work habits, alleged favoritism of key allies and rising fuel prices. This has led to speculations that there may be attempts to unseat him.

"I don't mind these anymore," Mr. Estrada said. "These are all concoctions of elitists, owners of newspapers who belong to the bourgeois, (and) who do not want me to succeed as President."

"I only think about my work and strive to do everything to alleviate our people from poverty," he said.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said it will oppose any violent move to unseat Mr. Estrada.

CBCP spokesman Bishop Nestor Cariño said they will urge a peaceful solution to any political and economic problem.

The CBCP also gave the President another chance to recover from his poor popularity rating.

"If the President's rating now is minus 13, it doesn't mean that he cannot recover," Cariño told reporters. "For me, he can recover." Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said earlier they are a bit worried about the plunge, but added that they are now doing something to correct it.

Mr. Estrada's low rating has also kept some soldiers restless.

This was evidenced from a letter by the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa to Defense Secretary Orlando, expressing their concerns over the present economic problem and the government's alleged apathy toward military personnel.

Cariño clarified that they are not fully supporting the President.

"The Catholic Church will support only those which are right and not against the teachings of the Church," he said.

He added that the CBCP "will continue with the efforts to air views on how things are."

"We will help (Mr. Estrada). And one way of helping is making our observation and we hope he will listen," he said.

Cariño believed that the respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with the President are those who have complaints about his administration.