Legarda tops Pulse Asia anew

Genuine Opposition (GO) senatorial candidate Loren Legarda topped the latest Pulse Asia survey released yesterday.

In the trust ratings survey conducted from Feb. 28 to March 5, Legarda received 65 percent approval from 1,800 respondents.

Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., who is running with GO, was second with a 57 percent approval rating while re-electionist Sen. Francis Pangilinan, running as an independent, came in a close third with 55 percent.

Re-electionist Sen. Panfilo Lacson, another GO candidate was the fourth most trusted of the lawmakers, garnering 54 percent of the ratings.

Sen. Manuel Roxas II. although not a candidate in the May 14 elections, garnered 52 percent of the ratings, followed by administration candidates Sen. Ralph Recto (50%), Sen. Joker Arroyo (49%) and Sen. Edgardo Angara (49%).

Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, senatorial candiate of GO, notched 47 percent approval ratings.

The latest trust survey also revealed President Arroyo garnered only 24 percent while former President Joseph Estrada secured 36 percent approval rating of respondents.

For her part, Legarda said she will continue to keep the public trust.

"I am both humbled and honored. To be trusted by the people in this age of cynicism and skepticism is the best compliment an aspiring public servant can hope to get," Legarda said.

Legarda was the topnotcher in Senate elections in 1998 with over 15 million votes. The former broadcast journalist topped a similar trust ratings survey held by Ibon Facts and Figures late last year.

Legarda also emerged as number one in six senatorial surveys conducted by Pulse Asia, the Social Weather Stations (SWS), Ibon and another survey conducted by a foreign-based pollster.

"The people’s trust is earned, not demanded. A tyrant cannot decree it in place of fear," she said.

Legarda said trust comes from a proven track record of public service.

"I have fought the good fight in exposing the truth about the 2004 elections. I thank all Filipinos for acknowledging that I am doing this for them," she said.