Palace bewildered?

Malacañang spokesman Sec. Edwin Lacierda expressed surprise at the drop of 7 points from plus 49% to 42% of the President’s approval ratings reported in the latest SWS survey taken May 24-27. This is the lowest so far for President Aquino, down 22% from + 64 in Nov. 2010. The SWS survey showed the biggest drop of 24% from 72% to 48% in Metro Manila. The drop was reflected in all classes, A, B, C, D, E.

The President’s only improvement was in Mindanao where his net satisfaction ratings rose from 53% to 61% probably due to his efforts to solve the power crisis in that region.

The biggest problem of the country is the lack of jobs, resulting in widespread poverty and hunger.

In an earlier survey, SWS reported an increase in self-rated poverty to 57% and persons experiencing hunger to 23.8%.

President Aquino reported creating 1.1 million jobs in 2011 but that does not solve the problem of 4 million unemployed and 8 million under employed persons.

In the anti-crime front, people are reporting being victims of street crimes and akyat bahay gangs. Thousands have been killed by riding in tandem assassins. Kidnapping and carnapping continues.

Cellphone snatching is all over. Even students are victimized outside their schools.

Malacañang should be like Pacquiao and accept the drop of approval ratings. It is a wakeup call. 

Increase government job hiring by increasing the public works budget to P500 million and hire the 137,000 teachers, 51,000 policemen and 44,000 nurses that are badly needed. The Department of Agriculture’s farm to market roads budget should be doubled.

Clean up the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Immigration, LRA, the NFA, NIA, LTO as well as the regional and provincial offices of government departments.

The bottomline: whatever the Administration did for the last 2 years has not improved the lives of poor Filipinos.

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BINAY CONQUERS CAPIZ . . Roxas City Mayor Alan Celino banned the putting up of welcome streamers for Vice President Binay. He also prohibited carinderia owners at the public market from serving him breakfast.

This resulted in a backlash as thousands carrying banners met VP Binay as he walked at the public plaza and at the meetings at Panitan, Dao, Cuartero and Dumarao with groups carrying “Capiz for Binay” streamers and wearing T-shirts with the same message.

At a dinner at Roxas City’s Capiz Mansion Hotel, 10 out of 17 mayors welcomed the Vice President together with delegations from their towns filling up the big ballroom with 500 people. Host Engr. Leodegario “Jun” Labao set the tone for the evening by saying it was a day of liberation for Capiz. Also hosting was Toto Domagpi.

In his extemporaneous speech, VP Binay deplored the martial law tactics of Mayor Alan Celino and reiterated his personal commitment to democracy and human rights.

Organizing big receptions with flag waving school children were Mayor Katherine Belo of Panitan, Joselito Escutin of Dao, Mayor Rogelio Flores of Cuartero and Mayor Leslie Benjamin of Dumarao.

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LETTERS FROM DFA . . DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez wrote: “This refers to your 05 June 2012 column on the Philippine STAR which stated that during the meeting of Sec. Albert del Rosario and Sec. Voltaire Gazmin with Sec. Hillary Clinton and Sec. Leon Panetta in April, “no expressions of support for the Philippine position in the China-Philippine conflict was given to the great disappointment of everybody.”

We would like to clarify that the United States did express its support for the Philippines in at least two ways.

First, Secretary Clinton reaffirmed, during the meeting and in the subsequent joint press availability, that the US would honor its obligations under the Phl-US Mutual Defense Treaty. We believe that such reaffirmation is an expression of support for the Philippines should it ever find itself in a situation where its territorial integrity, political independence and security are threatened by external armed attack, as Article III of the Mutual Defense Treaty provides.

Second, during the meeting, Secretary Clinton expressed deep concern about what has been happening in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and stated that the US has been plain and consistent in asking China to clarify its motivation and interest in the region. While maintaining that the US does not take positions on conflicting territorial claims, as is but proper for any non-claimant country, Secretary Clinton urged all parties to “subscribe to a rules-based approach in resolving competing claims in maritime areas through peaceful, collaborative, multilateral, and diplomatic processes within the framework of international law, including as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” This is the same position that the Philippines has repeatedly conveyed to China, and Secretary Clinton’s statement is, for us, a clear expression of support for the Philippines’ position on the issue.”

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CORRUPTION AT CUSTOMS . . The NBI asked the Ombudsman to investigate 21 Customs officers for releasing 20 containers without inspection. Duties lost P1.4 million.

Also charged before the Ombudsman by newspaper editor, Dhes Aclan of Batangas, the Collector of Customs Rene Benavides of Batangas, Comm. Ruffy Biazon and DOF Sec. Cesar Purisima for not collecting duties and taxes from Shell. Duties lost P2 billion.

There’s scandalous undervaluation of NFA rice imports with declaration of value as low as $40 per metric ton when the going market price is $460. Use of fake consignees is still widespread. Duties lost P500 million.

What happened to the case of 2,000 missing containers? Naareglo? Duties lost P1 billion. 

Also unstopped is the smuggling of meat and poultry products from China being complained by hog raisers. Duties lost P500 million.

Smuggling of computers, laptops and cellphone continues. Duties lost P500 million.