This is how United Opposition (UNO) President and Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay described Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye’s appeal for public relations practitioners to help improve President Arroyo’s image saying, "No amount of PR can do the trick.’’

"Resorting to PR is definitely not the answer that will solve their problems, particularly the questions of legitimacy and other corruption scandals that continue to confound the administration. Again, they are missing the point,’’ Binay said.

He said that this is just another of Malacañang’s way to gloss over the real issues with an intensive PR drive, citing its "media hype’’ over the recent Pacquiao victory as another sign of desperation which, according to him, "left a bad taste in the mouth.’’

"Far from improving Mrs. Arroyo’s image, it did nothing but rekindle the ‘Hello Garci’ issue with her ‘Hello Manny’ spiel,’’ Binay said.

"Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts in the Cabinet and Congress should instead face the realities of massive electoral fraud, widespread and endemic corruption in government and misgovernance founded on the unscrupulous misuse of government resources,’’ he added.

In connection with this, the UNO chairman belittled Bunye’s claim that it is the PR practitioners’ "patriotic duty.’’

"Supporting a bogus president who has had no qualms about wielding her power to win the elections and muzzle the opposition would, in fact, be sinking to unpatriotic depths. It would be the ultimate betrayal of our country and people,’’ he said.

He added that the Filipino people are intelligent enough to discern truth from fallacy, and right from wrong.

"The administration’s mantra of accusation against those in the opposition, such as ‘partisan politics’ and ‘self-interest,’ has failed to divert the people’s attention from the real issues that have, to this day, remain unresolved,’’ the Makati mayor concluded.