The honeymoon period is essentially over for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte in terms of public approval and trust ratings, according to a political analyst.
Meanwhile, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro attributed the decline in approval ratings of Marcos and Duterte to the Philippine economy and secret spending by top government officials.
In another development, the GABRIELA Alliance of Women rallied behind the Filipino people in their expression of discontent and condemnation over the criminal negligence of the Marcos administration amid the declining purchasing power of workers due to regionalized low wages, the continuing contractualization, jobs insecurity, and the weekly skyrocketing prices of goods such as rice, oil, among other basic commodities.
The analyst, Dennis Coronacion, said the significant drop in Marcos’s and Duterte’s approval ratings should serve as a wake-up call for the country’s top two highest officials.
“Madami na ang naniniwala na hindi na OK ‘yung kanilang ginagawa. This is normal and expected. Tapos na sila sa tinatawag natin na honeymoon period,” Coronacion said in a radio interview.
He issued the observation based on Pulse Asia survey, conducted from Sept. 10 to 14 that showed Marcos’s approval rating decline from 80 percent to 65 percent last June.
On the other hand, Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, also suffered a decline in approval ratings, dropping 11 points to 73 percent.
Coronacion said the end of the honeymoon period, where critics are often kinder to the newly elected officials, means that the top officials will now undergo greater scrutiny.
He said the issue of the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice-President and the Department of Education could have weighed down Duterte’s ratings.
“Kung pumasok ‘yan during the survey period, definitely nakakasira ‘yan sa imahe ng Vice-President…She could not justify very well bakit niya kailangan ng confidential funds. Ang mga Pilipino napaka-militant nila diyan,” Coronacion said.
He said the surveys can be seen as a form of feedback mechanism for Marcos and Duterte.
“Importante po ‘yan… it adds up to the perception of the legitimacy of the President… D’yan nanggagaling ang suporta ng mamamayan. Kung mababa ang approval rating, trust rating, parang napakahirap sumunod ng mga tao sa kanila,” he said.
Castro was reacting to the Pulse Asia survey showing steep decline in the approval ratings of the two highest officials of the land.
Such setback was a direct result of the dismal situation of the Philippine economy and the recent revelations regarding secret spending by top officials that highlighted the lack of concern for the poverty being experienced by millions of Filipinos, she said.
“The declining approval ratings of President Marcos Jr. and Vice President Duterte are reflective of the worsening economic conditions faced by the Filipino people. The hardships brought about by rising unemployment, inflation, and the lack of livelihood opportunities have deeply affected the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” Castro stressed.
She underscored the significance of the exposed secret spending by top officials, which further exacerbated the disconnect between the government and the plight of the impoverished majority.
She denounced the lack of regard for the poverty being encountered by millions of Filipinos while top officials indulge in lavish spending.
“The recent revelations of secret spending thru confidential funds by top officials only amplify the stark contrast between the luxurious lifestyles of those in power and the daily struggles faced by the majority of Filipinos. This blatant disregard for the impoverished majority is not only unjust but also unpatriotic,” Castro noted.
She called on the government to prioritize the welfare of the people and address the pressing economic concerns that have contributed to the decline in approval ratings.
The lawmaker also batted for policies that promote genuine economic development, job creation and the upliftment of the marginalized sectors of society.
“Our focus should be on addressing the root of poverty and ensuring that the government’s resources are allocated towards programs and services that truly benefit the majority. It is high time that we prioritize the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people over the interests of the privileged few,” she cited.
“We will continue to push for genuine change and reforms that will bring about a more equitable and just society. Our fight is for the empowerment and liberation of the Filipino people from poverty and oppression,” she raised.
GABRIELA noted that instead of raising the wages towards the workers’ demand for a 1,200 family living wage, only a meager P40 was added in some regions of the country.
According to GABRIELA, this drastic drop in approval ratings is not merely a statistical occurrence, but a resounding message from the Filipino people.
“It manifests their growing discontent with the Marcos-Duterte tandem, which has been recently involved in anomalies of squandering of public funds through billions of confidential funds revealed during the 2024 budget deliberations in the House of Representatives,” the group said in a statement.
GABRIELA called on the Filipino women to remain vigilant and oppose steps to squander the nation’s funds from the people’s taxes for the personal interests of a few. Likewise, the women’s group reiterate the need to amplify the call for a national living wage, regular and decent jobs, low prices of food, oil, and other basic commodities.