Ex-Sen. Drilon tells Palace: Don't dismiss Arroyo's low satisfaction ratings

MANILA, Philippines - A former ally-turned-critic of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday warned the administration against dismissing a survey showing her to be the "most unpopular" president since 1986. In an interview on dzBB radio, former Senate president Franklin Drilon said Malacañang spin masters should not underestimate the role public support plays in governance, saying the people's support is crucial in the implementation of government policies. "Ang suporta ng taumbayan sa pamahalaan ay importante. Hindi mo maipapatupad ang policy kung walang suporta ng taumbayan. Kung walang popularidad, hindi ka susuportahan (ang polisiya mo) kahit gaano kagaling. Kung di ka sinusuportahan, walang mangyayari sa atin (People's support for a government is important. You cannot implement your policies if you have no support from people, even if your policies are sound. If you don't have the people's support, nothing will happen)," Drilon said. Drilon said that in the case of pardoned former President Joseph Estrada, he has remained popular, with the masses continuing to support him and follow his causes. Drilon, who helped catapult President Arroyo to power and ran under her People Power Coalition in 2001, became her critic in the wake of the "Hello Garci" scandal in 2005. Last weekend, Malacañang officials and allies tried to deflect the results of a Social Weather Stations survey showing that President Arroyo has a net satisfaction rating of –38 in the second quarter of 2008 - the lowest rating given a Chief Executive since 1986. This is a further decline from her –26 satisfaction rating in the first quarter of 2008. Malacañang officials and President Arroyo's allies sought to dismiss the SWS survey findings, saying the president would "rather be right than popular." In the interview, Drilon reiterated his advice to President Arroyo that she can still salvage her approval and satisfaction rating if she cleaned her government. "Hindi lang gabinete, pati sub-Cabinet, pati GOCC (She should not stop with the Cabinet. She should also clean her government-owned and controlled corporations)," Drilon said. - GMANews.TV