Pinalami.
In their official Facebook page, the House of
Representatives of the Philippines posted on April 29, 2025: The collective
effort of the members of the House of Representatives led by Speaker Martin
Romualdez to continually uphold the welfare of the Filipino people and improve
their quality of life has paid off as revealed by the recent Tangere survey.
According to the survey conducted on April 21-22,
2025, the bigger Chamber is the highest performing branch of the Philippine
government, having received the highest satisfaction rating of 55.5 percent.
The House’s co-equal body under the legislative branch, the Senate, on the
other hand, received a 44.74 percent satisfaction rating.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President (OVP)
has the lowest satisfaction rating of 43.50 percent under the Executive branch.
The post drew a flurry of reactions from netizens,
with many criticizing it as a seemingly self-serving attempt to deflect
attention from the latest controversies surrounding the House—particularly
those involving Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Duterte supporters have also claimed that this is
part of a broader character assassination campaign against the Vice President,
allegedly driven by certain groups. They cited the recent arrest of the former
president and his transfer to the International Criminal Court—an action they
believe was orchestrated by the current administration—as well as the looming
impeachment case against the Vice President.
Cherry-picking, also known as the fallacy of
incomplete evidence or suppressed evidence, refers to the practice of
selectively presenting data or examples that support a particular argument
while intentionally omitting those that contradict it. This rhetorical tactic
creates a misleading narrative by focusing only on favorable information and
ignoring the broader context.
Cherry-picking is often employed in political
discourse and media, where it is used to shape narratives in favor of a
particular agenda or individual. Several studies have explored the effects of
cherry-picking on decision-making and public opinion. For instance, a study by
Tversky and Kahneman (1974) highlighted how selective reasoning can lead to
flawed judgments, particularly in complex political scenarios. In the context
of the recent post by the House of Representatives, critics argue that it represents
an example of cherry-picking.
According to various opinions circulating online,
there is a growing call for the government to focus on pressing economic
concerns, particularly rising inflation and the administration’s multi-trillion-peso
debt. Critics also pointed to the recent release of funds by the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM), allegedly intended for ‘ayuda’ to the poor—an
initiative that many have dismissed as mere political dole-outs.
The Philippine Star reported on April 29 of this
year: The country’s budget deficit widened 76% to reach P479 billion in the
first quarter as the expansion of state expenditures outpaced revenue
collection. Government spending jumped 22% to P1.48 trillion with revenue only
inched up 7% to P998.2 billion.
The disparity highlights the government's continued
reliance on aggressive expenditure amid modest revenue growth, raising concerns
about long-term fiscal sustainability.
Indeed, there is a pressing need for strong and
accountable leadership at all levels of government—one that goes beyond mere
sugar-coating or cherry-picking of data, and instead confronts issues with
transparency and integrity.
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