Manila, Philippines – The country is actually filled with public hope and economic optimism, not darkness as mentioned by Vice President Leni Robredo, Malacañang declared yesterday.
“With all due respect to the Vice President, we find Mrs. Robredo’s remarks during the anniversary of the Liberal Party completely out of touch with the existing realities on the ground,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. “Genuine and meaningful change has been felt by our people,” Roque added.
Roque said the darkness that Robredo may referring to “perhaps pertains to the future of those discredited politicians who wish to return to power.”
At the recent 72nd anniversary celebration of the Liberal Party, Robredo called on party members not to lose hope despite the “darkness” enveloping the nation. She said what is right will only prevail “if we don’t stop fighting for it.”
Roque countered Robredo’s “darkness” comment by highlighting several surveys that measured public optimism as well as trust in the Duterte leadership.
He said under President Duterte’s watch, the Philippines has become third happiest country in the world and the fifth highest country in terms of economic optimism index based on separate surveys by US-based Gallup International.
He said 96 percent of Filipinos have entered the New Year with hope, which was the highest recorded since 2002 based on a Social Weather Stations survey. Another SWS survey showed fewer Filipino families considered themselves poor, Roque added.
He said the public’s high levels of hope and optimism have been complemented by the President’s high satisfaction, approval, and trust ratings.
“More than eight out of ten Filipinos trust the President, according to the last quarter 2017 SWS survey,” Roque said. (Genalyn D. Kabiling)
