The fourth quarter of 2017 closed with all-time-high approval and trust ratings for President Rodrigo Duterte. According to the latest survey by Pulse Asia, the President received 80 percent approval rating and 82 percent trust rating. To my mind, though, this does not automatically equate to an efficient government.
While the President has been doing well in his campaign against illegal drugs, we keep reminding him to also give equal attention to concerns of other sectors.
Nineteen months into the Duterte administration, let us review their performance, particularly the agencies under the executive branch and their respective heads.
On a positive note, the Philippine economy posted a 6.7-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2017. This growth was sector-driven, specifically by the manufacturing, trade, and real estate industries. However, I am concerned that other sectors, such as fisheries, are lagging behind. There has been a 1.18-percent reduction in fish production in 2017.
In the education sector, noting the rise in our simple and functional literacy rates in 2013, are our graduates globally competitive? Is the quality of education in the country at par with those of other countries? We still await for the construction of more classrooms to accommodate all our students.
Traffic congestion is getting worse. In fact, according to the latest report of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Philippines loses P3.5 billion a day due to Metro Manila traffic. While I understand that the administration aims to improve the metro traffic condition through its Build, Build, Build infrastructure program, I expect the Department of Transportation to at least provide short-term solutions to address the traffic menace.
One possible solution is the improvement of our public transportation system, most especially the railways. However, even this solution brings another problem. The delayed upgrade and expansion of the Metro Rail Transit cause further inconvenience to the commuters.
I am not impressed with the current status of our energy sector. Recently, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Luzon power grid on yellow alert due to unexpected shutdown and limited generation of several power plants. Let us face it, with our growing economy, our demand for energy increases; yet we are behind in building more power plants to meet this demand.
Other problems remain unresolved. We have the Dengvaxia mess, and the controversial purchase of two frigates. We still hear delays in the delivery of relief goods and distribution of cash grants. Several schools that have been destroyed by the typhoons are yet to be restored.
In the legislative, we have spent so much time on investigating a lot of issues of the Executive instead of legislating measures for the welfare of our people. As a legislator, and as minority leader, I can exercise my oversight function to ensure that the government agencies are doing their jobs properly.
It is about time Cabinet members got their act together and got the work done, with urgency. The President entrusted them their respective positions with high hopes that they would perform their duties with diligence. I expect the same from them. Come budget deliberations, the minority would question how these agencies spent their respective budgets. If necessary, we would call for the reorganization of the executive branch.