Government ‘flunks’ anti-smuggling drive

NINE government agencies, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Finance (DOF) and Department of Tourism (DOT), received record-high satisfaction ratings from top business executives. But they gave the administration’s anti-smuggling campaign a failing grade.

They made their sentiments known in the latest survey of the Makati Business Club (MBC).

Over 70 percent of them expressed dissatisfaction with the administration’s anti-smuggling campaign.

Also, the Judiciary remained “the most dreaded” by businessmen, according to the results of the MBC’s Second Semester 2012 Executive Outlook Survey.

“The net satisfaction scores of nine government agencies/offices are at their highest levels since MBC started conducting this annual survey rating government agencies in January 1993: BSP, 94.6 percent; DOT, 81.8 percent; Department of Budget and Management, 70.9 percent; Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 56.3 percent; the Senate, 49.1 percent; Department of Public Works and Highways 30.8 percent; Department of Science and Technology, 27.3 percent; Department of Agrarian Reform, 0 percent; and the House of Representatives, 0 percent,” the MBC said in a statement.

The appellate and lower-court system emerged at the bottom of the 53 agencies that were included in the survey with a net score of negative 54.5. Traffic management was at No. 52 with a net score of negative 45.5, followed by the Supreme Court with negative 41.8.

The net satisfaction scores on the performance of the Office of the Vice President and Office of the President rose to record highs of 58.2 percent and 49.1 percent, respectively. These offices were added to the survey series in January 2006.

The Second Semester 2012 MBC Executive Outlook Survey was conducted from June 19 to July 23, 2012, with 14.7 percent of the 375 MBC member-companies and business associations participating.

“The following government agencies and offices enjoyed the biggest jumps in ranking of net satisfaction scores from 2011: the DOT moved up to No. 2 from No. 32; the Ombudsman went up to No. 18 from No. 44; the DOLE rose to No. 10 from No. 23; the Senate improved to No. 14 from No. 21; and the Armed Forces of the Philippines ascended to No. 25 from No. 30,” MBC said.

Those that suffered the sharpest drop are the Commission on Human Rights, down to No. 35 from No. 15; the Supreme Court, No. 51 from No. 34; the Department of Justice, No. 26 from No. 9; the Department of Transportation and Communications, No. 44 from No. 27, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to No. 46 from No. 30.

The Bureau of Customs ranked 47th with a net score of negative 18.2, reflecting the dismay of the business sector in the government’s anti-smuggling campaign.

When asked if they were satisfied with the government’s anti-smuggling efforts, 70.9 percent answered negatively; 27.3 percent said they were satisfied.

On whether they were satisfied with the government’s tax policies and administration, 49.1 percent said they were satisfied, and an even 49.1 percent said they were not; the remaining 1.8 percent gave no response.

Asked if they agreed with the result of the Corona Impeachment Trial, 81.8 percent answered positively and 12.7 percent disagreed. –Max V. de Leon / Reporter, Businessmirror