Poll ratings of gov’t execs down; JPE biggest loser

MANILA, Philippines - Approval and trust ratings of the top five government officials, led by President Aquino, significantly declined in the January 2013 survey of Pulse Asia.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile suffered the biggest decline in approval rating, from 73 percent to 46 percent in the non-commissioned survey conducted from Jan. 19 to 30.

The poll showed Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay continuing to enjoy majority approval ratings in the second half of January.

Aquino’s rating, however, dropped by 12 percentage points from 78 percent in November 2012 to 66 percent in January 2013. Binay’s rating, on the other hand, declined by 13 percentage points from 82 percent to 69 percent.

Malacañang yesterday said that despite the drop in the President’s approval and trust ratings, there is not much indication of disapproval toward the administration.

“I think everybody, the top officials of all branches of government, fell. I think that’s also part of the environment at the time the survey was taken,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.’s performance rating also dropped from 46 percent to 28 percent.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno likewise obtained lower approval rating in January – from 38 percent to 24 percent.

Pulse Asia said Aquino and Binay recorded majority approval ratings across geographic areas and socio-economic classes: Aquino (59 percent to 76 percent and 64 percent to 70 percent, respectively) and Binay (61 percent to 78 percent and 58 percent to 73 percent, respectively).

Enrile obtained majority approval rating only in Mindanao (53 percent).

The plurality sentiment toward Belmonte in most areas and socioeconomic classes is of indecision, with a majority (53 percent) of those who reside in balance Luzon expressing indecision, Pulse Asia said.

Likewise, ambivalence is the majority opinion regarding Sereno’s performance across most areas and socioeconomic groups with the exception of the Visayas (44 percent) and class E (47 percent).

Aquino’s overall approval rating decreased from 78 percent in November 2012 to 66 percent in the January 2013 survey, with marked changes occurring in the National Capital Region (NCR), balance Luzon, and the Visayas (from 74 percent to 59 percent, 77 percent to 61 percent and 79 percent to 67 percent, respectively).

Declines in the President’s approval rating between the two survey periods were also noted in Class D (from 78 percent to 64 percent) and Class E (from 79 percent to 70 percent).

The 13-percentage point drop in the approval rating of Binay, meanwhile, can be traced primarily to the decline in his approval ratings in NCR (-15 percentage points), balance Luzon (-14 percentage points), the Visayas (-11 percentage points), Class D (-12 percentage points) and Class E (-13 percentage points), Pulse Asia said.

Enrile’s approval ratings showed the most significant reductions across all areas and socioeconomic groups (from -15 to -35 percentage points and from -27 to -30 percentage points, respectively), the pollster noted.

Approval ratings of Belmonte and Sereno dropped in NCR, balance Luzon and Mindanao, and across all socioeconomic groups.

“For four of the five leading officials (i.e., President Aquino, Vice-President Binay, House Speaker Belmonte and Supreme Court Chief Justice Sereno), the increase in their respective indecision figures accounts for much of the decline in their approval ratings,” Pulse Asia said.

 â€˜Lower trust’

 Meanwhile, Pulse Asia said the trust ratings of the country’s top five officials declined between November 2012 and January 2013 – Aquino by 12 percentage points, Binay by 10 points, Enrile by 21 points and Belmonte and Sereno by 12 percentage points each.

Across areas and socioeconomic classes, declines in Aquino’s trust rating were noted in NCR, balance Luzon, Visayas, Classes D and E (-12 to -16 percentage points).

Binay’s trust ratings likewise decreased in NCR, balance Luzon and Classes D and E (by 9 to 17 percentage points).

On the other hand, the trust ratings of Enrile dropped in all areas and socioeconomic groups (-13 to -30 percentage points and -20 to -29 percentage points, respectively).

In the case of Belmonte, his trust ratings declined in NCR (-23 percentage points) and balance Luzon (-18 percentage points) and across all socioeconomic classes (-9 to -25 percentage points).

Similarly, trust in Sereno became less pronounced in all socioeconomic classes (-8 to -22 percentage points), balance Luzon (-13 percentage points) and the Visayas (-14 percentage points).

It said only Aquino and Binay obtained majority trust ratings in January 2013.

Sizeable majority trust ratings were obtained by Aquino (68 percent) and Binay (71 percent), while trust is the plurality sentiment regarding the trustworthiness of Enrile (46 percent).

In contrast, indecision is the near majority opinion on the matter of trusting or distrusting Belmonte (48 percent) and Sereno (50 percent).

About a fourth of Filipinos expressed indecision as regards the trustworthiness of the President and the Vice President (26 percent and 24 percent, respectively) and nearly four out of 10 Filipinos (38 percent) were unable to say if they trust or distrust Enrile.

Distrust in the President and the Vice President, on the other hand, remained at single-digit levels (six percent and five percent, respectively) and was more pronounced toward Enrile (15 percent), Belmonte (21 percent), and Sereno (20 percent).  – With Aurea Calica