MANILA -- Detractors, claiming fake news on the rollout of the Duterte Legacy campaign, are welcome to verify the accomplishments of the administration through concerned government agencies and those communities directly benefiting from its programs.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said this on Friday, stressing that these policies and programs support the high approval and trust ratings of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
“We can always verify these. We can visit those piers, airports, and road projects that are now completed. We also have over 21,000 drug cleared barangays, where we can talk to the residents on how they are now living in safer communities,” he said during an interview.
“Siguro naman pwede niyong i-check yung mga classrooms na 150,000 sa DepEd at DPWH. Papaano naging kasinungalingan iyon? Pwede mo ding tingnan sa DBM at NEDA kung magkano ang naging infrastructure spending ng ating pamahalaan. From an average of 2% nung mga nakaraang administrasyon ay halos 5% of GDP. Napakalayo naman ng sinasabi ng ating detractors [They can also check those 15,000 classroom built through DepEd and DPWH. How is that a lie? They may also verify with DBM and NEDA our country’s infrastructure spending. From an average of 2% from previous administrations, now we have almost 5% of the GDP. It's even far from what our detractors are claiming],” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained high approval and trust ratings despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a recent independent and non-commissioned survey by the PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. conducted on July 13-19, 2021.
Fifty-eight percent of 1,500 Filipino respondents approve of President Duterte's work performance, while 55 percent continue to trust the Chief Executive.
Amid the outbreak of the COVID-19, President Duterte's approval rating rose to 91% based on Pulse Asia survey result released last October 2020.
The Chief Executive also topped on the list of bets for vice president for the 2022 Pulse Asia polls validating the Filipinos' satisfaction and confidence in his leadership.
Secretary Andanar said that President Duterte’s strong political will remains a great factor in accelerating the country’s economic status through the massive infrastructure projects, socio-economic reforms, and maintaining the peace and order.
He noted that having critics, who can freely express their opinions on any platform, is proof that democracy is alive in the country.
“Ganoon talaga ang demokrasya mayroon kritiko. Mayroon ding ibang kritiko na sadyang ayaw tumingin sa mga magandang pagbabagong nangyayari sa ating bansa at gusto lamang paniwalaan ang sariling press release. Kahit andyan na sa harapan ay bulag-bulagan pa rin [That’s how democracy works. There will always be critics. There are also those critics who intentionally refuse to look at the positive changes that’s happening in our country and would rather believe their own press releases. Even if it is happening right in front of them, they still choose to turn a blind eye],” he said. (PCOO)
