Pulse Asia survey will test media bias

PULSEBEAT: Here is another measure of your and media’s perspective — some call it bias — in assessing public perception of the performance of President Noynoy Aquino in the last three months.

Basis is the March 2011 “Ulat ng Bayan” survey of Pulse Asia on presidential performance and trust ratings, and the national admi-nistration’s performance ratings.

The survey fieldwork was conducted February 24 to March 6 nationwide using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults. (We’re assuming you believe in opinion surveys. Many people don’t.)

* * *

CHOOSE YOUR WILD: Compare the play given the survey findings by the mainstream newspapers, radio-TV networks and opinion-writers. Check which of the survey findings listed below they have chosen to emphasize:

• The dominant sentiment toward President Aquino is one of appreciation for his work (74 percent) and trust in him (75 percent). The President has only a 7 percent disapproval rating and 6 percent distrust rating nationwide.

• Between the previous survey in October 2010 and March 2011, the President’s approval and trust ratings fell by 5 percentage points, while his disapproval and distrust ratings rose by 4 percentage points.

•The Aquino administration scored majority approval ratings on only three (out of 11) national issues – fighting graft and corruption (56 percent), fighting criminality (54 percent) and improving the peace situation (53 percent).

•Filipinos are most critical of the administration’s initiatives to stabilize prices of basic commodities (32 percent) and to reduce poverty (26 percent).

•Appreciation for the administration’s work on six issues had eased: controlling population growth (-11 percentage points), creating more jobs (-11 pp), enforcing the law equally (-9 pp), fighting criminality (-8 pp), increasing workers’ pay (-8 pp) and controlling inflation (-8 pp).

Depending on one’s opinion, bias or his partisan color, one can pick any of the above findings, lead off with it, and play it up. Which is your preferred point of emphasis? –Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star)