Palace shrugs off drop in Aquino’s trust ratings

Wednesday, June 22, 2011
MALACANANG on Wednesday downplayed President Benigno Aquino III’s recent dip in trust ratings, saying these “remained at near-historical highs.”
“Given the margin of error of +/-3 percentage points, the President’s performance rating of 71 percentage points remains statistically unchanged from the previous rating of 74 percentage points recorded in March,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.
In a survey conducted by Pulse Asia from May 21 to June 4, Aquino recorded a 71 percent trust rating, which is slightly lower than his 75 percent rating last March. Instead of being worried, Lacierda said Malacanang welcomed the survey since there was just a slight adjustment and President Aquino still enjoys the trust and confidence of the majority of the people.
“The latest Ulat ng Bayan numbers reflect wide-ranging support for the administration’s efforts to curb corruption, pursue inclusive growth, and provide basic services to the people. This, despite obvious attempts by the enemies of reform to stoke the fires of negativism. The President is grateful to the people for this vote of confidence, and remains committed to leading them on the straight and righteous path to equitable progress,” he added.
The survey also disproved the claims of the opposition that the public is no longer satisfied with the President’s performance, Lacierda added.
Earlier, Malacanang also dismissed the drop in the satisfaction ratings of President Aquino conducted by Social Weather Stations last June 3 to 6. The ratings decreased from 69 percent in March to 64 percent in June.
The Palace official believed that the dates when the two surveys were conducted have affected the results of the survey.
“It would have a difference because it would depend on the event that was taken up during those period,” he said.
He, meanwhile, refused to attribute the drop of the ratings to the performance of the communications group.
“Survey is a snapshot of the time when it was taken. And also one year has passed and we believe that what we have planted will soon be reaping,” he said.
He noted that the ratings of the President will be redeemed by the increase in infrastructure spending in the second quarter and the continuous assistance of the government to poor families through the conditional cash transfer.
“We are going to register two million beneficiaries within this month. We have a target of 2.3 million this year and next year our target three million households,” he said.
“The next survey will be done three months from now. We will have infrastructure spending. We have started doing the underpass along Araneta Avene and Quezon Avenue. It will take us 420 days to finish these projects,” he added.
He said the government agencies will continue to disseminate good news and accomplishments of the Aquino administration.
Meanwhile, Lacierda got irked when asked to comment on the statement of Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay saying the firmness and fairness of President Aquino in handling the country’s issues affect his ratings.
“I think that particular statement would apply more to her patron rather than to this present President. The ratings of this president remains to be high, second term lang ng kanyang partona mababa na ang kanyang ratings. But we are not after the ratings per se we do our jobs regardless of what the ratings are,” he said.
High consumer prices whittle Aquino ratings
While Filipinos continue to approve and trust Aquino, his administration’s response to tame consumer prices have been found wanting.
Pulse Asia noted that between October 2010 and May 2011, the President’s overall approval rating actually declined by eight percentage points (79 percent versus 71 percent).
The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 people, with a margin of error of plus/minus three percent for national and plus/minus six percent for area percentages at 95 percent confidence level.
Similarly, his national trust rating decreased by nine percentage points (80 percent versus 71 percent).
Dissecting through issues, the President and his Cabinet has managed to get a majority approval grade in six issues: fighting criminality (60 percent), enforcing the law equally on all Filipinos (57 percent) and improving the national peace situation (57 percent).
The government also scored well in fighting bureaucratic corruption (56 percent), creating more jobs (53 percent) and increasing workers’ pay (51 percent).
Militants groups have repeatedly chided President Aquino for junking the proposal of P125-legislated wage increase amid oil price hikes, which triggered a domino effect on prices of consumer goods.
Instead, minimum wage employees in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Eastern Visayas got an emergency cost of living allowance last month.
Earlier, the Partido ng Manggaggawa (PM) said the cost of living in Metro Manila is already P1,010 as of March for a family of six and yet the minimum wage of P404 plus Ecola adds up to only P426.
Inflation hit a 13-month high of 4.5 percent in May due to price increases in clothing, fuel, light and water (FLW) and miscellaneous items.
Public opinion is split with regard to the administration’s efforts to control inflation, an issue which 53 percent of Filipinos said the Aquino administration must immediately address.
Of this number, 39 percent of Filipinos said they were appreciative, 29 percent were critical and 32 percent were ambivalent towards the administration’s performance.
Pulse Asia attributed this to events that transpired during the survey period, which include the increase in pump prices, the decline in power charges by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the deferment of the train fare hike.
Meantime, the number of Filipinos who are unable to say if they approve or disapprove of the President’s work in the past three months increased by three percentage points during the past two months (21 percent in May versus 18 percent in March).
The same level of ambivalence was also registered in the President’s trust rating after inching up two percentage points to 22 percent in May from 20 percent last March.
Still, President Aquino enjoys majority approval and trust ratings across geographic and socioeconomic areas, Pulse Asia said.
By comparison, the President’s satisfaction rating took another dive this month, from a +51 “very good” last March to +46 “good” in a survey released by Social Weather Stations on Tuesday. (Jill Beltran/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/06/22/palace-shrugs-drop-aquinos-trust-ratings-162626

Over the holidays, travelers from Manila going to the north for a getaway destination choose Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines as a popular holiday location. Aside from day-time sports and other activities, visitors look for a good wine shop to buy some good wine to celebrate a special occasion or just to make the holiday and vacation more enjoyable. Many wine lovers pick up some good bottles from Clark Wine Center to bring to dinner in some of the good restaurants in Angeles City, Clark Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the most famous fine dining restaurants outside of Manila, located in Mimosa Leisure Estate inside Clark Airbase or Clark Freeport Zone as it is now called. This popular restaurant has become a tourist attraction, a place to visit for those who are in Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City and of course, Clark Philippines. The famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center supplies this famous restaurant in Clark Philippines as well as other good restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga with good wines of all price ranges.

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

This well-known wine shop is a famous shopping destination for wine enthusiasts in Manila and wine lovers from other cities in Asia including Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Osaka and Tokyo.

Famous Philippines wine supplier known for its line of fine vintage wines, Yats Wine Cellars was established in 2000 to address the requirement of a growing population of wine enthusiasts in the Philippines. This 5-star wine shop caters to the discerning client who requires these qualities in their wines: (1) excellent value, (2) large selection of labels and vintages to choose from and (3) wines properly aged for full enjoyment.

Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com