Business leaders in Cebu gave President Benigno Ninoy Aquino III a passing grade in his first year as President.
Samuel Chioson, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, yesterday said he rated Aquino’s performance 75 percent to 77 percent for being a good leader who encouraged transparency and a policy of no corruption.
Chioson said local businessmen saw the president as a good example for people under him.
Chioson’s modest rating also stemmed from the fact that the President hasn’t acted yet on the business sector’s wishlist of P4.4 billion worth of infrastructure projects which they submitted during Aquino’s visit to Cebu last year.
“Wala pa but he promised that he will support us and will look into the projects that we have proposed as priority projects for Cebu that will need funds from the government,” he said.
He said local businessmen were hopeful that Aquino would start implementing the projects after a year and a half into his term.
The projects include improvement of drainage, road widening, and the rehabilitation of roads and the first Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.
Chioson said business groups in Cebu remained optimistic especially with the administration’s thrust towards Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to implement projects.
Cebu Business Club president Gordon Alan “Dondi” Joseph said he would give Aquino a passing grade as well.
Joseph, however, said that his group would ask the President to start performing instead of blaming the previous administration.
He rated Aquino’s perofrmance as average.
“No one has been prosecuted in his anti-corruption drive. I do not see any progress in his PPP programs. But we are going to give him a chance,” he said.
While Joseph said corrupt activities in the past should be investigated to give justice to every Filipino, he said it’s also time for the President to move forward.
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol, gave President Aquino a perfect score of 10 for battling corruption since he assumed the presidency.
Apostol, who is one of the nominees for the next Tanodbayan at the Judicial Bar Council, praised Aquino as the only president with the heart and integrity to fight corruption.
Leaders of militant groups gave the President a failing mark.
Dennis Abarientos of Karapatan said that Aquino failed to solve extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations particularly those committed in Central Visayas.
Around 50 protesters marched the streets of downtown Colon yesterday to express “disappointment” over Aquino’s failure to solve poverty and corruption in the country.
Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas also said that Aquino’s programs and policies were in favor of business interests.
He criticized Aquino for inaugurating the coal-fired power plant in Cebu. Reporter Aileen Garcia-Yap with a report from Reporters Ador Vincent S. Mayol and Candeze R. Mongaya and Correspondent Candeze R. Mongaya