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Archbishop Oscar Cruz and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro put the issues of 2008 in review after Social Weather Station president Dr. Mahar Mangahas stated that Sports, Food security, and Energy were among the top issues and interests for Filipinos in 2008.

The Social Weather Station (SWS), one of the country’s renowned social survey institutes, together with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) hosted the 2008 SWS Surveys Review, held yearly to look back on the major issues of the previous year, last January 13, 2009. KAS has been supporting the yearly SWS Survey Review for the past 8 years. KAS country representative Klaus Preschle, who opened the ceremonies, stressed the importance of keeping in tune with sentiments of the constituency.

Despite rising concerns with several pressing issues in 2008, SWS pointed out that most of Filipinos still remain optimistic for 2009, and still consider themselves proud to be Filipinos.

In reaction to the SWS reports, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro expressed concern at the lack of public interest in the on-going unrest and issues in Mindanao. SWS, which ranked the most followed news events of 2008, pointed out that only 37-41% of Filipino respondents followed the MoA-AD issue on the news. Teodoro remarked that the people should be more interested in issues concerning the happenings in Mindanao, stressing that national security is essential for the future of the country, and that the government will continue to pursue the peace process but focus on DDR (disarmament, demobilizationand reintegration).

The survey also pointed out that a large majority of Filipinos, regardless of religion, widely support the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill—a whopping 71% in favor of the bill. Archbishop Oscar Cruz said he would forward the results to the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines.

The review was attended by various members of the academe, the business sector, media, NGOs, diplomatic corps, government, civil society, together with Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and Archbishop Oscar Cruz in the panel of reactors.

Also among the survey results, presented by SWS president Dr. Mahar Mangahas, showed that incumbent vice-president Noli de Castro remains the top pick for the upcoming 2010 presidential elections, together with en. Loren Legarda, Sen. Manny Villar, and Sen. Chiz Escudero.

The survey also pointed to Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s “...stable satisfaction rating” of -24, and that 64% of Filipinos would oppose charter change extending the term limits of the president.

For the complete results, please visit the AIM Policy Center Website