VP Binay gets highest trust, approval ratings in Pulse Asia survey

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay is the most trusted top government official, obtaining the “only majority trust rating” in this quarter based on a Pulse Asia survey released Monday, June 22.

The survey conducted by Pulse Asia from May 30 to June 5 showed Binay with a 57% trust rating, a 15-percentage point increase from 42% last March.

This puts the Vice President on top of the list, bumping off Senate President Franklin Drilon who received the highest trust ratings in March with 44%. Drilon obtained a 45% trust rating for this quarter.

President Benigno Aquino III’s trust ratings came in at 50%, recovering from last March’s 36%, his lowest since he became president in 2010. A Social Weather Stations survey published earlier also showed the President bouncing back from dismal ratings. 

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr obtained a 28% trust rating, up 5 points from last March’s 23%, while the trust ratings of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was unchanged at 27%.

Approval ratings

Aside from garnering the highest trust ratings among the leading government officials, the Vice President also topped the list for approval ratings.

Binay obtained a 58% approval rating, a 12-point increase from 46% last March.

Binay is facing allegations of ill-gotten wealth. The Anti-Money Laundering Council earlier ordered a freeze on his bank accounts and that of his supposed dummies.

Coming in at second place was Aquino with 54%, a marked 16-point improvement from his 38% last March.

The President enjoys majority approval ratings in all geographic areas and socio-economic classes, except in Metro Manila and Class ABC.

Binay also received majority approval for his performance in all geographic areas and Classes D and E, but received his only non-majority approval rating in Class ABC.

Only Aquino and Binay scored majority national approval ratings. Drilon’s approval rating was at 49%, Belmonte at 30%, and Sereno at 31%.

Institutions: Virtually unchanged

While the Supreme Court enjoyed the highest approval ratings among surveyed institutions at 44%, Pulse Asia noted that not one of the key government institutions received a majority approval rating in its latest survey.

The Senate received a 40% approval rating, followed by the House with 35%.

All 3 institutions failed to obtain majority approval ratings, recording almost the same national disapproval figures, Pulse Asia said.

The nationwide survey was conducted on 1,200 adult respondents with a ± 3% margin of error and 95% confidence level. 

‘People’s trust’

Responding to the survey results, Malacañang said the President’s improved numbers was a “testament to the people’s confidence in the President’s integrity and reliability.”

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda highlighted the gains of the Aquino administration in creating jobs, alleviating poverty, and improving the Philippines’ international reputation.

Lacierda attributed these achievements to the people’s trust in Aquino.

“All these are made possible by the people’s trust in the President,” he said.

“With roughly one year left for this administration, it is the Filipino people’s support which continues to inspire us to serve them better, and it is their discernment in future elections that will ensure the continuity of what we have done as we continue to tread Daang Matuwid,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Binay’s spokesperson for political affairs Atty. Rico Quicho lauded the survey results as proof “that the people appreciate [the Vice President’s] hard work and dedication to public service.”

This, despite the attacks and controversies launched against Binay by critics attempting to derail his 2016 presidential bid, Quicho added.

“It highlights that attacking the Vice President does not make his political opponents prepared for the job of the presidency,” Quicho said. 

The survey was conducted during the same period that the Senate and Ombudsman conducted probes into alleged anomalies involving Binay and the construction of the Makati City Hall building II.

Dismissing the probes as “baseless allegations and hearsay,” Quicho said Binay is focused on continuing to fight poverty and income inequality.

 

“He will move for inclusive economic growth while others play petty politics. The Vice President’s political opponents’ rhetoric does not match their record,” Quicho said. – Rappler.com