More outstanding news for the President from Social Weather Stations’ newly completed fourth-quarter survey this month: His net satisfaction rating improved by a full ten points to “very good” at +58, from only “good” or +48 last September. Over the same period, his gross satisfaction ratings improved to 71 percent in December from a lower 67 percent in September.
Equally noteworthy, Duterte’s net improvement by region ranged from a low +3 points in Mindanao (his home region where he already polls stratospherically) to a confounding +14 points in “Balance of Luzon.”
The latter has always been his weakest region, as I noted in an earlier column where I wondered why SWS doubled the sample size in this region where he’s weakest.
This President confounds expectations by improving his ratings at a time when his initial honeymoon with the public should be starting to wear off. Going into the new year—when infrastructure projects break ground, income taxes ease off for the poor and middle-class, a new Constitution starts being written, and even the drug war comes under the even-handed leadership of the PDEA—we won’t be surprised if his ratings continue to surprise.
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If you too want to rack up some kind of outstanding performance, you should know that a congressional committee has just passed a bill seeking to declare the Kalayaan islands “alienable and disposable” to the private sector.
These nine islands off Palawan are part of the Spratlys and contain rich fishing grounds as well as reported significant reserves of oil and gas. If you’re wealthy and feeling adventurous, you might want to invest in, or maybe even move to, Kalayaan.
Unfortunately, these islands also within the cross-hairs of the Chinese, who’ve been busy putting their permanent footprint—notice we didn’t say boot soles—on various land formations around the West Philippine Sea.
That’s why you’d have to be extra-adventurous to put your money into the commercial potential of Kalayaan, let alone actually live there. But if there’s anything that could slow down China’s maritime expansion, it would be the prospect of having to overrun the civilian population of another country on the islands they covet.
I’m put in mind of that lone Chinese youth standing in front of a tank during the Tiananmen uprising years ago. That was an iconic image seared into the world’s memory. I’m pretty sure it’s not a photo that China would want to build a portfolio around. But it will take enterprising Filipinos to take them on.
Unfortunately, even now some wet blankets are already accusing the House bill sponsors of selling out to China because the Filipino investors could simply “flip” their land titles over to the Chinese.
These wet blankets are probably the same people tearing out their hair over Duterte’s latest ratings.
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We turn now to less stellar examples of Filipinos, the non-outstanding kind. Those would include the provincial bus company involved in a road tragedy in Agoo, La Union that killed 20 people; the operator of the reportedly overloaded ferry that sunk at the height of Typhoon Vinta; and perhaps even the owners of the Davao city mall where nearly 40 call center kids died in a fire, allegedly because there weren’t any working fire alarms, fire extinguishers, or enough emergency exits.
In the wake of recent transport mishaps, Senator Grace Poe has revived calls to set up a national transport safety board, similar to the agency in the United States. As new infrastructure projects temporarily worsen traffic and driving conditions, as jeepneys go through a modernization program, as climate change increases weather risks for our passenger ships and planes—with all this uncertainty, a Philippine NTSB is in fact quite overdue.
Having said that, though, we must still continue to wait—perhaps in vain—for the people who ply their trade on our roads and seas—as well as those who manage venues where large crowds regularly congregate–to behave more responsibly. That’s really the only way to keep more of their passengers, and visitors, alive.
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Let me close on an upbeat note with this announcement from the Metrobank Foundation Inc, which has opened its search for the foundation’s Outstanding Filipinos for 2018.
The 10 awardees will comprise teachers, soldiers, and police officers who have rendered public service above and beyond the call of duty. Their work will have transformed a community with a lasting positive impact on people and the country.
According to MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña, “we are looking for ordinary individuals with extraordinary accomplishments. By giving them due recognition, we hope to inspire the Filipino nation further in our collective task of building a strong and progressive society.”
Nominees must have at least 10 years of service, with at least “very satisfactory” ratings in their last 10 years. Each awardee will receive a PhP 1-million cash incentive, a trophy, and a gold medallion.
If you have anyone in mind, you can check out the foundation’s Facebook page, or go to www.mbfoundation.org.ph, or email them at outstandingfilipinos.mbfi@gmail.com. But do so by end of February latest.
Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.