Filipinos approve Aquino admin's Mindanao peace efforts – SWS

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 10): Filipinos approve Aquino admin's Mindanao peace efforts – SWS

Majority of Filipinos are satisfied with the Aquino administration's resolute stance in the pursuit of peace in Mindanao, according to the findings of the Second Quarter 2015 Social Weather Survey.

The national survey, conducted last month on June 5-8, noted the public's +23 rating on the administration's efforts in “Restoring peace to Mindanao,” up from +12 in March, with majority of Filipinos (52%) ‎expressing satisfaction.

The President’s overall satisfaction rating also recovered last month to +31 from +19 in March, his lowest since he assumed office in 2010. He also received a +19 and a +13 rating on “Giving justice” and “Fighting terrorism” respectively.

President Benigno S. Aquino III continues to enjoy high satisfaction rating due to his uncompromising stance on controversial issues including his furtherance of the Bangsamoro peace process, said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio B. Coloma, Jr. in a press briefing.

“Naging mataas din ang rating ng pamahalaan sa aspeto ng pagtataguyod ng prosesong pang-kapayapaan kasabay ng pagsulong ng Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) at pagpapatupad ng mga probisyon ng Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) tulad ng normalization at decommissioning (The government also received a high rating on its securing of the peace process alongside its advancement of the BBL and the implementation of provisions in the CAB such as the normalization and decommissioning).”

Government of the Philippines (GPH) chief peace negotiator Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer thanked the people who continued to support the Bangsamoro peace process and helped shape a favorable view among the populace. “Kami po ay nagpapasalamat sa mga tao na  patuloy na kumilala sa kahalagahan ng peace process at kung bakit natin ito kailangang ipagpatuloy (We would like to thank the people who continued to recognize the importance of the peace process and the need to pursue it).”

Coronel-Ferrer said that the latest SWS survey results showed Filipinos across the country are realizing the stakes involved in the Bangsamoro peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, especially in the light of external challenges in the West Philippine Sea and other security threats such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

“What we are doing is not only for the Bangsamoro but for the benefit of all Filipinos. I am grateful that more Filipinos realize why we must pursue the solutions provided by the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro so that the government can focus on other pressing problems."

The latest survey from the SWS also showed a +1 satisfaction rating with regard “Reconciliation with Muslim Rebels”. This was several notches up from the -3 rating of the administration under the same category last March.

Ferrer commented that this net positive rating “shows that more people are seeing the big picture and the benefits that we have reaped and will continue to reap if we stay on this track.”

“We welcome the support of every Filipino especially at this juncture when permanently ending the conflict with the MILF is so close and is no longer elusive,” she added.

The SWS survey was conducted ‎nationwide through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 respondents across the country. (OPAPP)

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1781436428749/filipinos-approve-aquino-admin-s-mindanao-peace-efforts-sws