Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano TRANSCRIPT of Interview Re: PNoy rating

Reporter: How would you rate PNoy on a scale of 1-10?

ASC: Between 8 and 9. But I've been saying that this is relative to the past administration, he's doing well. Relative to other countries in the same situation, he's doing well also.

I always use the word 'relatively'. Meaning if you compare him for example to the government of President Arroyo, we can call him outstanding. Meaning, nandyan yung transparency and accountability. Nakakasiguro tayo ngayon na most if not all of the funds go to the beneficiaries. Maging member ka ng Congress, ng media or isang citizen, pwede kang magtanong at makukuha mo yung impormasyon. Ang economic indicators naman ay public knowledge so makikita mong gumaganda.

The reason I used 'relatively' is because if you'll look at Vietnam and Thailand for example, they are doing much, much better than us. Whether you talk about economic indicators, whether you talk about foreign direct investment. For example in Thailand, for 100 Baht that you pay to the hospital, all your medical concerns excluding cosmetic surgery is covered by the government. We are still so far away from achieving that.

I am giving a good rating but saying that there is much work to be done. We should start comparing ourselves to better performing countries. Kasi hindi mo maalis na dahil nga publiko ang hinaharap mo, gusto mo na mataas ang ratings mo. But the question is, would you like to have high ratings compared to the lowest in the class, or would you like an average rating but compared to the class valedictorian?

Let us stop comparing our status now to what we have in the past president. Let us look at the models around the world most especially in Asia and start comparing ourselves with them so that we'll have a better benchmark to work towards.

Sa anticorruption, in general, maganda. I'll give you a very high rating. Ang hindi lang masyadong magandang rating ay dun sa institutional address to fight corruption. Meaning yung may i-t-target, si Pres Arroyo, former Chief Justice Corona, some members of some controversial department, very good doon e. Talagang sina-sampolan niya at talagang ipakukulong kung talagang nagkasala. Pero yung sasabihin mo talagang may mga mekanismo at mga agencies yung kayang takbuhan ng tao, nasa beginners stage pa lang e.

I understand the Office of the Ombudsman, working much harder, putting in innovations but right now, ramdam pa rin ng ating mamamayan na every step of the way pag may papeles sa gobyerno, ay meron pa ding lagayan o meron pa ring tingian at hindi pa rin malaman kung paano at saan ia-address ito.

The Aquino administration is still lacking, however, in articulating plans, and discussing these plans with people and making them part of the plan. For example, the last two years, we've been critical about how the state universities aren't being given enough budget. I heard this year na napakalalaki ng mga increases. Although nagpapasalamat tayo sa increases, hindi pa rin malinaw ang instructions sa mga state universities kung magdagdag ng estudyante, or keep the same at i-increase ang quality.

The last two years kasi ang sinasabi na i-improve muna ang DepEd and then vocational education. Hindi klaro sa amin ngayon, with the K+12 kasi massive ang kailangan na pondo. Then sa TESDA kung ico-compare mo sa panahon ni GMA, anlaki laki ng pondo ng TESDA during the time of President Arroyo.

I'd say that there are things to be thankful about but people have to understand what the policies and the goals are. It's easy for me to say for example sa drugs, lumalala ang problema everywhere you go although hindi ito nababanggit masyado sa peace and order in general. But what is more important for me is that there is a simple recognition of the problem and explanation of the goals and the plans to solve the problems and attain the goals.

I think doon nagkukulang ng konti ang gobyerno. Parang last year, yung sinasabi nating better economy, ang tanong natin paano. Pleasant naman yung surprise sa atin na gumanda nga. Pero still, it would still help kung yung strategy could be explained better.