Senate most trusted, appreciated key gov’t institution – Pulse Asia

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate is the most trusted and appreciated key government institution in the country, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

Pulse Asia’s nationwide survey held from June 15 to 21 showed all key government institutions – the Senate, House of Representatives, and Supreme Court – enjoying majority approval and trust ratings, topped by the Senate.

Filipinos gave the Senate a 69% approval rating in June, 9 percentage points higher than 60% in March.

By area, the Senate saw its biggest improvement in Metro Manila, where 64% of residents approve of its work – a 25-percentage point jump from 39% in March.

The House of Representatives got an approval rating of 66%, up 10 percentage points from 56% in March. Like the Senate, it also saw its biggest improvement in public approval in Metro Manila – a 27-percentage point increase 55% from 28%.

The Supreme Court also enjoyed higher public approval in June, up 10 percentage points to 63% from 53% in March. Among geographical areas, it was only the High Court that failed to get majority approval in Metro Manila, where it got a 49%-rating, though up by 8 percentage points from 41% in March.

“These institutions register basically the same indecision and disapproval ratings (23% to 27% and 7% to 10%, respectively),” Pulse Asia President Ronald Holmes said in a press statement.

Higher trust ratings

Public trust in the 3 institutions increased in June, topped by the Senate with 61% – up by 6 percentage points from 55% in March.

The House is next with 58%, 7 percentage points higher than in March, while trust in the Supreme Court also increased by 7 percentage points to 54% from 47%.

Pulse Asia said that among the notable movements during the survey period are the increase in the trust ratings of the Senate and the House in Metro Manila, up 26 and 28 percentage points, respectively, and in Class D – 7 and 9 percentage points, respectively.

Distrust scores for the two chambers also dropped significantly among Metro Manilans – a 21-percentage point drop for the Senate and a 26-percentage point drop for the House.

There was also a notable 11-percentage point increase in the trust rating of the Supreme Court in the rest of Luzon, and in Class D, an improvement of 8 percentage points, respectively.

Among the major developments before and during the survey period were the High Court’s decision to oust former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through a quo warranto petition, and the election of new Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

The Pulse Asia nationwide survey has a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the survey have a ± 6% error margin, also at 95% confidence level for Metro Manila, ±3% for the rest of Luzon, and ±5% for each of the Visayas and Mindanao. – Rappler.com