Press Release
February 1, 2009

Poll: Gordon's fight vs corruption draws favorable public satisfaction

The hard work and effort of Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon in the fight against graft and corruption in the government, notably as chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, draws favorable satisfaction among the general public.

Gordon expressed elation over the positive perception and growing satisfaction among the public on his work as a public official based on the recent survey conducted by The Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center).

"I am glad and humbled that our people appreciate the work we do in the Senate. This modest gain however validates what the people demand from their leaders, that is to lead a no non-sense fight against graft and corruption," he said.

In the Center's Pulso ng Pilipino yearend poll conducted from Jan. 6-9, 2009, Gordon registered a two percent increase in voters' preference for president as compared to the previous survey on October 2008.

The Center attributed Gordon's "move over the hump" to the hearings conducted by the Senate blue ribbon committee he chairs on the P728-million fertilizer fund scam, which he recently concluded after having obtained enough evidence to pin down key personalities involved in the allegedly anomalous project.

"The hearings into the celebrated P728-million fertilizer scam have also boosted the political stock of Senator Gordon," stated the report from the Center, which is headed by Ed Malay, a member of the World Association for Public Opinion Research.

The independent survey firm explained that people are more likely to choose leaders who actually work on curbing corruption in the country, given that the present administration fared poorly on its fight against corruption.

Following the Senate revamp in November, Gordon immediately held his first hearing into the fertilizer project where his committee filed charges at the Department of Justice against former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante for disobedience to summons and false testimony.

During the Senate Christmas recess, Gordon summoned personalities who would be implicated by other witnesses. Threatened by the arrest orders issued by the panel to those who refused to obey the subpoenas, the witnesses surrendered one by one.

Last Jan. 26, Gordon temporarily concluded the probe with enough testimonial and documentary evidence and will recommend to the Ombudsman in a committee report to be submitted next week the filing of plunder charges against Bolante and other alleged conspirators of the project.

Aside from his track record as a lawmaker, the Center likewise noted that Gordon's gain in the survey can also be attributed to what it called his "no-nonsense style of governance," notably as Olongapo City mayor and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman.

"Gordon is largely credited for the transformation and development of the SBMA as an investment destination. He is also credited for having transformed Olongapo into a model community," the Center's report stated.

As Olongapo mayor, Gordon implemented a public utility color coding, traffic management and waste management systems which earned the city national and international awards such as the UNESCO Cities for Peace Award representing Asia and the Pacific in 1997 and the Konrad Adenauer Local Medal of Excellence in 1999.

He is also largely credited for the development of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority when, in 1992, after the United States military left Subic Bay, Gordon led 8,000 volunteers to protect and preserve the $ 8-billion facility left by the US navy, and eventually transforming the place into a premier investment hub.

News Latest News Feed