Palace assures public: Gov't working double time to fight inflation
MANILA, Philippines — The government is working double time to counter the effects of rising commodity prices, Malacañang said Sunday, following the release of a survey suggesting that the Duterte administration got a lower satisfaction rating in the third quarter.
A nationwide Social Weather Stations poll released over the weekend showed that 65 percent of adult Filipinos were "satisfied" with the administration's performance in the third quarter while 15 percent were dissatisfied for a net satisfaction rating of +50.
The net satisfaction rating was lower than the +58 recorded in the second quarter, according to the poll, which was conducted from September 15 to 23 among 1,200 respondents.
Despite the lower rating, presidential spokesman Harry Roque thanked the Filipinos who expressed satisfaction with the government's performance.
"Regardless of the numbers, we assure everyone that the administration is working double time to ensure prices of basic goods become stable as we cushion the impact of higher inflation," he said in a statement.
Roque said the administration is stepping up measures to ensure sufficient food supply including importing rice and dismissing officials tagged in the disappearance of sacks of rice in Zamboanga. He noted that lack of supply is raising the prices of goods in the market.
Another SWS poll that asked respondents to rate the administration's handling of various issues indicated that the government got the lowest score in fighting inflation. It got a "neutral" +8 on fighting inflation, according to the survey, which was also conducted last month.
"As the survey shows, in what Social Weather Stations calls its Governance Report Card, of the 14 specific subjects rated, we received the lowest rating in fighting inflation," Roque said.
"Nonetheless, public satisfaction remains 'very good' at +50 during the time when our people are feeling the hit of a faster inflation rate when the survey was conducted last September," he added.
The Duterte administration posted a "very good" rating on building and maintenance of public works (+66), helping the poor (+63), reconstructing Marawi City (+58), protecting human rights (+54), and fighting terrorism (+53).
It obtained "good" scores on fighting crimes (+43), reconciling with communist rebels (+42), reconciling with Muslim rebels (+41), foreign relations (+40), fulfilling commitments in international treaties (+40), defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (+39), and eradicating graft and corruption (+38).
Respondents, meanwhile, gave the government a "moderate" rating on fighting hunger (+23).
Inflation or the rate at which the prices of goods and services is rising, hit a record-high 6.7 percent in September, a development that officials attributed to rising fuel prices.
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