MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo denied claims she had decided to host her own radio program because of her declining trust ratings.
In a media interview on Monday, May 15, Robredo said her sliding ratings had nothing to do with the radio program because the latter was planned out long before the results of the surveys.
“Subok lang kung gaano ka-effective ‘yong pagreach out [I’m just trying to find out how effective is radio in reaching out to people],” said Robredo, while she was in Davao City for the National Indigenous Peoples Education Festival at the Pamulaan Center for IP Education at the University of Southeastern Philippines-Mintal campus.
Asked by reporters if her radio program had something to do with her sliding trust ratings, the Vice President said, “Ay hindi. Nauna pa ito. Matagal na ito [No. This came first. This had long been planned out.]”
Her hourlong weekly radio program, “BISErbisyong LENI,” co-anchored by broadcaster Ely Saludar, started Sunday, May 14. It airs live on RMN-dzXL 558 Khz and through its regional stations in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Naga City.
Robredo’s trust rating decreased by 15 points to +30 based on a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations published on May 9. Last December, results of an SWS poll showed that the Vice President had a trust rating of +45.
In another survey by Pulse Asia released in October 2016, Robredo’s trust rating was recorded at +65. She was the second top performer among top public officials at that time.
Her trust score in another Pulse Asia poll decreased to +58 last December following her resignation from the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, on the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte that is being heard at the House of Representatives, Robredo said on Monday that she didn’t think that the ouster moves against the chief executive would succeed.
“Tingin ko, hindi siya magpo-prosper. Kung babasehin sa statements ng House, mukhang kaunti ‘yong suport na makukuha nito [I think it won’t prosper. If you will base it on statements from the House, it appears that it will get little support],” she said.
