Binay, JPE continue to enjoy high trust ratings

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile continued to enjoy high approval and trust ratings in past three months, based on the recent survey of Pulse Asia.

Binay’s approval rating went up from 81 percent in May to 85 percent in September while his trust rating increased from 78 percent to 84 percent in the same period.

Enrile, on the other hand, obtained approval and trust ratings of 72 percent and 65 percent, respectively, up from 68 percent and 62 percent three months earlier.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., meanwhile, received 38 percent approval and 36 percent trust ratings. Belmonte’s latest scores were slightly higher than his May scores of 37 percent (approval) and 29 percent (trust) in May.

Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan survey on the Performance and Trust Ratings of the Top National Government Officials and Performance Ratings of Congress and the Supreme Court was conducted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7.

Pulse Asia said Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno garnered a trust rating of 23 percent and a distrust rating of 22 percent.

Sereno was appointed only last Aug. 24 and her approval rating was not available because three months is needed to get the approval rating of an official.

Pulse Asia earlier reported that President Aquino’s approval and trust ratings improved to 78 percent in September from 67 percent in May.

Across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, both Binay and Enrile enjoyed majority approval ratings, while Belmonte enjoyed near majorities.

Sereno got small majorities across geographic areas and socioeconomic groupings.

The same Pulse Asia poll found that most Filipinos approved the performance of the House of Representatives (51 percent), Supreme Court (52 percent) and Senate (59 percent).

Across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, the Senate received majority approval ratings, while the House garnered small majority approval.

In the case of the Supreme Court, the justices got majority approval rating.

Pulse Asia used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above nationwide.

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

Meanwhile, Binay thanked the people for his consistent high approval ratings.

Binay said it inspired and encouraged him more to do his work better.

“I am grateful and humbled by the high regard and trust given to me by our people,” Binay said.

Binay said that together with Aquino, the government would pursue its reform agenda with “greater vigor.” – With Jose Rodel Clapano