Poll: VP is most trusted official

MANILA, Philippines – The latest survey of Pulse Asia released yesterday showed that more Filipinos trust Vice President Jejomar Binay than President Aquino.

Binay emerged as the most appreciated (83 percent) and most trusted (81 percent) national government official in Pulse Asia’s March 2011 “Ulat ng Bayan” national survey.

Aquino, on the other hand, received a 74 percent approval rating and 75 percent trust rating.

The non-commissioned poll conducted from Feb. 24 to March 6 used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 years old and above.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile obtained 60 percent approval rating and 56 percent trust rating.

Half of Filipino adults said they are satisfied with the work done by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (50 percent) while about the same percentages either trust him (43 percent) or cannot say if they trust or distrust him (39 percent).

Chief Justice Renato Corona’s rating showed that a big plurality is undecided on his performance (43 percent) and trustworthiness (44 percent).

Corona also received the highest disapproval and distrust ratings at 24 percent and 27 percent, respectively, Pulse Asia said.

Aquino and Binay registered single-digit disapproval ratings of seven percent and three percent, respectively, and distrust ratings of six percent and three percent, respectively.

Pulse Asia said public indecision is most pronounced toward the performance and trustworthiness of Belmonte (37 percent and 39 percent, respectively) and Corona (43 percent and 44 percent, respectively).

“Filipinos are least ambivalent toward the performance and trustworthiness of President Aquino (18 percent and 20 percent, respectively) and Binay (14 percent and 15 percent, respectively),” it said.

Across geographic areas, practically all of the country’s top national government officials, except Corona, enjoy majority approval ratings in Metro Manila (56 percent to 79 percent) and the rest of Luzon (52 percent to 82 percent), Pulse Asia said.

Aquino, Binay and Enrile posted majority approval ratings in the Visayas (55 percent to 83 percent) and in Mindanao (65 percent to 86 percent).

With regard to public trust, most of those in the rest of Luzon (55 percent to 80 percent), the Visayas (57 percent to 84 percent) and Mindanao (58 percent to 75 percent) expressed trust in Aquino, Binay and Enrile.

The country’s top three officials as well as Belmonte obtained majority trust ratings (52 percent to 78 percent) from Metro Manilans.

Corona failed to secure a majority rating – both approval and trust – in any of the country’s geographic areas, the pollster said.

The survey found majorities in all socio-economic classes approve of the work done by Aquino (69 percent to 80 percent), Binay (76 percent to 86 percent) and Enrile (58 percent to 61 percent).

Belmonte also achieved majority approval ratings in Classes ABC and D (51 percent to 54 percent).

On the other hand, majority trust ratings are obtained by Aquino (71 percent to 78 percent), Binay (76 percent to 84 percent) and Enrile (56 percent to 57 percent) in all socio-economic groupings.

“Again, Corona was unable to score any majority approval or trust rating across socio-economic classes,” Pulse Asia said.

Pulse Asia said between October 2010 and March 2011, the performance and trust ratings of the country’s top national government officials remained basically unchanged at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic classes.

At the national level, the only notable change in the ratings – in terms of both performance and trust – of the top five national government officials is the increase in the level of public distrust in the Chief Justice (+7 percentage points).

Likewise, across geographic areas, it is also Corona who experienced significant changes in his ratings as his disapproval ratings increased in Metro Manila (+13 percentage points) and the Visayas (+14 percentage points) while his distrust ratings rose in Metro Manila (+13 percentage points).

“Across socio-economic groupings, no marked movements in performance and trust ratings may be noted between October 2010 and March 2011,” Pulse Asia said.

The survey has a plus or minus three percentage points error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

Pulse Asia said when the survey was taken, one of the issues was the government effort to save three Filipinos facing execution in China for drug trafficking.

Binay’s visit to China had prompted officials there to defer the execution of the three convicted drug mules.

The Chinese government, however, announced that the execution of the three Filipinos by lethal injection would push through on March 30.

Palace welcomes survey results

“We’re certainly happy with it (Pulse Asia survey) because he (Binay) is part of the administration, he’s part of the team of the President. We’re certainly happy for the Vice President that his numbers are high,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

Lacierda belongs to the supposed Balay faction in the Cabinet of Mr. Aquino, the opposite of Binay’s faction, which is the Samar group. Lacierda is identified with the Liberal Party camp of former Sen. Manuel Roxas II, who lost to Binay in the May 2010 elections.

Binay said the government can only perform well with President Aquino’s good policy directions and good leadership.

“I am grateful for the support and trust of the people. And I am grateful for the trust given by the President,” Binay said.

He cited that the country is presently beset by many problems.

“We are beset by many challenges, and by working together, we can overcome these challenges and help our President move the country forward,” Binay said.

Belmonte also expressed elation yesterday over his improving public approval and trust ratings but said what is important to him is the image of the House of Representatives.

He told reporters that his numbers are “slightly higher” than those of the House.

However, he said as his ratings improve further, so would those of the chamber he leads.

He said the improving numbers are a testament to the collective accomplishments of House members.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court spokesman Midas Marquez said yesterday Corona doesn’t mind having the lowest public approval ratings among the five top officials of the country.

Marquez said the result of the recent Pulse Asia survey insofar as the Chief Justice is concerned was not a surprise.

“Chief justices historically do not fare well in popular surveys,” he said in a statement. With Jess Diaz, Delon Porcalla, Aurea Calica, Edu Punay –Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)