Paje challenged by positive survey results

The administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III has received positive marks on environmental issues in an opinion survey conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to assess the third quarter performance of the President.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J.P Paje today said relative to this, that his agency is challenged to “perform even more” because of the result of the study conducted from Sept. 23-25, 2011 via face-to-face interviews with 1,262 respondents, representing 10 sectors from 64 provinces nationwide.

“We are happy with the positive rating given by the people on the government’s performance in so far as environmental issues are concerned. This could only mean that our efforts in various fronts of environmental protection and natural resources management are being felt and appreciated by the people. But at the same time, we are challenged to perform even more,” Paje said.

The PIA study was primarily intended to assess the President’s performance as of the third quarter of this year on issues related to the economy, good governance, social development, justice and security, and climate change and environmental protection.

Study results showed that 75 percent of the respondents believed in the President’s determination to improve the country’s preparedness for disasters; 64 percent gave him positive marks for protecting endangered species and their natural habitat; 61 percent of the respondents approved of the President’s efforts on stopping environmental abuse and destruction; and 57 percent gave him the thumbs up for cleaning and clearing natural waterways.

Earlier, the Social Weather Station (SWS) also reported of a “very good” overall rating for PNoy administration’s 3rd quarter performance based on its survey conducted on Sept. 4-7, 2011, with 1,200 respondents.

The DENR chief stressed, however, that even with the positive response of the public, his department will continue to level up its efforts to respond to public expectation.

“While the series of environmental disasters has somehow made our people become more aware on what could happen if we neglect our environment, I would like also to give credits to the advocacy that we have embarked in partnership with various sectors of our society,” Paje said.

These public-private partnerships which, he said, provided the catalyst to boost the department’s performance and that made an imprint on the people’s consciousness include program and policy reforms in mining, forest management, pollution control and prevention, land management and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Ester Z. Gallardo, PSciJourn MegaManila