Pulse Asia: Top gov’t officials maintain high ratings

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile have maintained high approval and trust ratings, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

The survey, conducted from Nov. 23 to 29, showed Binay’s and Enrile’s approval ratings at 82 percent and 73 percent, respectively.

Binay obtained a “sizeable to a big majority” trust rating of 81 percent while Enrile’s trust rating was 67 percent.

Binay’s approval rating was slightly lower than the 85 percent he received in September, while Enrile’s rating improved by one percent.

President Aquino’s approval and trust ratings were at 78 percent and 80 percent, respectively.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s approval rating went up from 38 percent to 46 percent and his trust rating increased from 36 percent to 40 percent.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno obtained almost the same national approval and indecision scores (38 percent versus 44 percent) in the latest poll.

Binay recorded a majority of the approval rating across geographic areas and socio-economic classes – 72 percent to 88 percent and 74 percent to 86 percent, respectively.

Enrile got 57 percent to 77 percent and 69 percent to 75 percent, respectively.

Majority of Filipinos in all geographic areas and socio-economic classes also trust Binay (70 to 87 percent and 75 to 84 percent, respectively) and Enrile (53 to 72 percent and 66 percent to 70 percent, respectively).

Belmonte enjoyed majority approval rating in Metro Manila and Mindanao – 59 and 51 percent, respectively – and 47 percent in class E.

On the other hand, 49 percent in class ABC, 51 percent in Mindanao and 52 percent in Metro Manila, 52 percent cannot say if they approve or disapprove of Sereno’s work.

The Chief Justice also obtained nearly the same approval and indecision ratings in the rest of Luzon (37 percent against 42 percent), Visayas (40 versus 32 percent) and classes D and E (38 to 39 percent versus 43 to 44 percent).

Pulse Asia said the Filipinos’ assessment of the performance of four of the country’s top government officials remained “generally constant” between September and November.

“The only notable movement is the eight-percentage point improvement in House Speaker Belmonte’s approval rating,” it said.

Belmonte’s approval rating rose in Mindanao and class D (+19 and +10 percentage points, respectively) and he achieved a majority trust rating of 52 percent in Metro Manila.

Trust in Senate, House, SC

The same survey found that a majority of Filipinos trust and approve of the performance of the Senate, House of Representatives and Supreme Court (SC).

The Senate got an approval rating of 61 percent; House of Representatives, 53 percent; and SC, 59 percent.

These government institutions recorded majority approval ratings in Metro Manila (51 to 64 percent), Mindanao (65 to 72 percent), class D (53 to 59 percent) and class E (56 to 66 percent).

Trust in the Senate, House and SC was at 55 percent to 61 percent. The Senate and the SC also enjoyed majority trust ratings across geographic areas (52 percent to 71 percent and 55 percent to 63 percent, respectively) and socio-economic classes (58 percent to 63 percent and 60 percent to 62 percent, respectively).

Pulse Asia said the trust rating of these institutions improved significantly in almost all geographic areas except in the Visayas.

The trust rating of the Senate and the SC also increased in every socio-economic grouping (+15 to +24 and +18 to +37 percentage points, respectively) while the House enjoyed gains in public trust in classes ABC and D (+15 to +27 percentage points, respectively).

‘Hardworking House’

Belmonte credited the improved rating of the House to hard work.

He cited his colleagues who worked hard to pass many socio-economic and anti-corruption bills and had the “guts to confront hard issues.”

Binay said the survey is a “manifestation of faith” in the national leadership, in which he is drawing inspiration to do the best he could.

He said a lot had been accomplished but much remains to be done. – With Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano