Arroyo's 2008 SONA as pack of lies, again

by Jesusa Bernardo

(First published at Newsvine.com, July 25, 2008)

Speaks SONA’s of Lies

[Philippine’s] Gloria Arroyo's forthcoming State of the Nation

Address will again be a pack of lies. Only 14 out of every 100
Filipinos believe there will be any truth in the scheduled July
28, 2008 SONA, compared to the 86% percent who either
disbelieve or remain undecided.

The figures come from the latest Ulat ng Bayan research survey of independent public opinion
polling firm Pulse Asia. Not counting the undecided, the marked predominance of those who
dismiss Arroyo's 2008 SONA as not truthful compared to those thinking it will be truthful is seen
across all demographic levels and social classes. The disparity of the number of skeptics versus
those who tend to believe ranges from nearly 100 percent to over 400 percent in all categories of
the respondents in the nationwide survey held from July 1-14, 2008.

A clear majority of
those from classes A, B
and C (36%) think that
the scheduled SONA of
Arroyo will not be
truthful while only less
than half (15%) believe
it will be truthful.
Among those in the D
class, 41 % are skeptics
while a mere 13% are
believers.

In terms of age groups,

the greatest disparity is
registered in the 25-34
year-old group, with
48% thinking the
SONA will be fictitious
while a very small
percentage (11%) thinks
it will be factual. Even
among government
personnel, an
overwhelming are
skeptical towards the
SONA of Arroyo: 39%
believe it will be
untruthful while only
15% think it will be
truthful.
 Among the college
graduates or those
with post-college
education, the
percentage of
those who believe
that Arroyo will lie
in the SONA is
much higher over
those thinking she
will not lie (34%
vs. 12%). This
belief is shared by
those without any
formal education,
although the
disparity is higher:
43% are skeptics
while only 16%
tend to believe.

Almost the same

total number of
Filipinos adjudged
Arroyo to have been
untruthful in her
past SONAs
compared to those
who think she has
been truthful (14%
vs. 13%). According
to Pulse Asia's
media release, the
"currently low
proportion of
people (14%) who
still believe that her SONA this year will be a truthful one" is a point of concern for the Philippines.
There has been significant drop in public indecision over Arroyo's SONA and the "low proportion
of believers in her SONA's truthfulness ...cannot possibly represent much political capital for her
and her administration."

An earlier Pulse Asia survey study held in October 2007 has shown
that Filipinos regard Gloria Arroyo as the Most Corrupt President in
Philippine History, even beating former dictator Ferdinand Marcos
for the ignominious title. Ironically, Joseph Estrada, her predecessor
whom she deposed in the 2001 EDSA revolt, is ranked number two as
the Least Corrupt President, next to Corazon Aquino, during the post-
Martial Law era.

References:

Table 3 Truthfulness of Forthcoming SONA of President Gloria

Macapagal Arroyo. Pulse Asia.
http://pulseasia.com.ph/resources/photos/table3_SONA0807.gif

Table 2 Truthfulness of Forthcoming SONA of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Pulse

Asia. http://pulseasia.com.ph/resources/photos/table2_SONA0807.gif
Pulse Asia's July 2008 Ulat ng Bayan Survey: Media Release on Public Perceptions Regarding
State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs). Pulse Asia. http://pulseasia.com.ph/pulseasia/story.asp?ID=651

Most Corrupt President in Philippine History. Pulse Asia.

http://pulseasia.com.ph/resources/photos/table2_corruption_0710.gif

Least Corrupt President in Philippine History. Pulse Asia.

http://pulseasia.com.ph/resources/photos/table3_corruption_0710.gif