BINAY RETAINS TOP PULSE ASIA RATINGS, NOY
SLIPS
MANILA, JUNE
8, 2012 (TRIBUNE) By Fernan J.
Angeles - Vice President Jejomar Binay remains the most trusted and got the
biggest approval rating among top government officials, followed by Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile while President Aquino managed only to land third in
the latest Pulse Asia survey on public rating of the country's leaders.
Binay got an approval rating of 81 percent against four percent disapproval;
Enrile received 68 percent approval and seven percent disapproval, and Aquino 67
percent approval and 10 percent disapproval.
On trust ratings, Binay was also on top with 78 percent followed by Aquino
with 65 percent and Enrile, 62 percent.
On the other hand, the survey most Filipinos are critical of the performance
of ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, 60 percent and Speaker
Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. receiving nearly the same percentages of Filipinos
who either approve of his performance at 37 percent or the undecided at 42
percent.
The survey indicated that confidence was also low on Corona with 65 percent
expressing distrust on him while on Belmonte those who cannot say if they trust
or distrust him, or 50 percent were in the majority.
Malacañang, meanwhile, doesn't seem bothered in what they claimed as a "still
relatively high" rating for Aquino in the most recent surveys conducted by two
different statistical data research entities showing the diminishing trust on
the Aquino administration's capability to improve their lives.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda insisted the public approval and
trust on President Aquino remains unchanged, citing the margins of error
governing the survey conducted by Pulse Asia.
Since assuming power in June 2010, Pulse Asia figures on public approval
rating of a President regarded as a product of sympathy votes arising from the
death of her mother and former President Corazon Aquino, dropped again and the
sliding trajectory appears headed for a plunge amid government policies
depicting him more of a vindictive President rather than reformist.
Based on the results of their most recent survey covering the period of May
20-26 or just a few days before the Senate — on a 20-3 vote, convicted former
chief justice Renato Corona, President Aquino narrowly managed to post a
majority approval rating.
On the other hand, results of a separate survey conducted in March this year
by the Social Weather Station (SWS), show more Filipinos have turned from
optimistic to skeptical on the fulfillment of administration's promise to uplift
the quality of their lives. The same survey also showed the economy dipped a
percentage point from the previous three months.
Lacierda in a press briefing said that President Aquino has his mind focused
on work even as he claimed that the Malacanang chief executive would not even
feel bad if Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile gets a higher rating.
Citing the survey figures, Lacierda went on to say the Pulse Asia figure is
an indication of the continuing support that the President has been getting for
his reform agenda citing the most recent statistics on the country's 6.4 percent
gross domestic product (GDP) for the first quarter, saying the growth figure in
itself was an indication that the administration is on the right governance
track.
"No other president in recent history has sustained such high trust and
performance ratings for so long into his term," Lacierda said.
"This fact only fuels our determination to make inclusive growth a reality
for our countrymen, and to give them a government that is truly in their
service. Moving forward, our administration will remain steadfast toward
fulfilling our Social Contract with the Filipino people," he added.
The Social Weather Station (SWS), which had its own survey earlier, reported
the expectations among respondents of improved quality of their lives were,
according to the Palace, still within the high territory. SWS released the
results of the survey conducted March 10 to 13 shortly after government
announced a strong first-quarter growth.
SWS said 36 percent of respondents expected their lives to improve in the
next 12 months, down a percentage point from December. With eight percent saying
their expectations were otherwise, this put the net personal optimism score, the
difference of optimists over pessimists, at 28 points, which the SWS regarded as
"high" based on historical data.
The SWS also noted optimism scores remained "high" despite the downtrend.
The economy's prospects, according to 28 percent (two percentage points down
from December), is expected to get better in the year ahead as opposed to 22
percent (up from 16 percent in December) who believed otherwise thus rendering
the net score at six points, a decline from 14 points three months earlier.
Still, the SWS classified this as "high."
While Aquino may have kept a majority in those who gave him favorable
ratings, the figures were in a downward trajectory for the last two years that
he was in office.
Interestingly, the Aquino administration's demolition job on Corona
proved effective as the former chief magistrate suffered a high disapproval
rating. The same survey also tend to show the small number of thinking Filipinos
as shown in Corona's 12 percent approval ratings. Pulse Asia claims that their
respondents come from social classes A to E, with the Class E people dealing
Corona fatal blow. As it appears, less than three of ten respondents expressing
disapproval and distrust on the ousted chief magistrate.
Corona's trust rating also declined with a 65 percent distrust rating.
Corona's distrust rating was highest among the Class E with a sharp increase
from 59 percent to 72 percent. Distrust ratings of Corona also had a significant
increase in Mindanao from 61 percent to 75 percent.
Political allies Aquino and Enrile enjoyed majority approval ratings across
geographic areas and socio-economic classes. Binay, who has remained "civil" to
the administration, managed to clinch the highest public acceptability for
maintaining distance on the government's unpopular decisions and policies that
is deemed to be repressive, vindictive and authoritarian.
Interestingly, public perception on the Senate, House of Representatives and
the Supreme Court, does not seem to show difference as all three constitutional
bodies posted an almost identical ratings.
Pulse Asia claims to have engaged some 1,200 respondents at a time when
prevalent issues hounding the country include the Corona I preachment trial and
the country's brewing tension with China.
In a separate Pulse Asia survey, former party mates in the
Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Senators Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Loren
Legarda were chosen "frontrunners" on the senatorial polls, with five others
reported to be drafted as senatoriables of United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)
managing to make it in the so-called "magic 12."
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who landed 9th in the said survey, said he will
seek re-election under the ruling Liberal Party, yet, refuses to formally join
the party as its member.
Legarda, who topped the senatorial polls in 1998 and 2007 was overtaken in
the survey by Escudero who was only second in the highest tally of votes of the
latter who was slightly higher in the senatorial race five years ago.
Legarda received 18.5 million or 62.7 percent while Escudero garnered 61.9
percent or 18.2 percent of votes during the May 14, 2007 mid-term polls.
In the said survey covering the period May 20 to 26 with 1,200 respondents,
Escudero received an overall voter preference of 65.1 percent, up by 12.4
percent from 52.7 percent in the previous survey.
While Legarda posted 63.6 percent or an increase of 5.1 percent from the
previous poll study where she garnered 58.5 percent. Escudero resigned from NPC
in 2009, in the height of his reported presidential bid and has opted to remain
"independent" to this day.
He announced his resignation from NPC, the party that he has been aligned
with since 1998, alongside with his pronouncements to abandon his presidential
ambition.
Of the reported UNA's prospective senatorial bets, Cagayan Rep. Juan Castaner
"Jack" Ponce Enrile who is the son of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen.
Gregorio Honasan, Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor
"JV" Ejercito and former Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri captured the 4th, 6th,
7th, 8th and 10th place respectively.
Former Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon and Auroro Rep. Juan Edgardo "Sonny"
Angara, son of Sen. Edgardo Angara, landed 11th and 12th in the said survey.
Rep. Angara was among the spokespersons of the prosecution panel in the
recently-concluded impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato
Corona.
Rep. Enrile closely followed behind the "third placer" Senate Minority Leader
Alan Peter Cayetano with 49.1 percent, while the latter received 50.2 percent
preference of the respondents.
The entry this early in the senatorial race of both Reps. Enrile and Angara,
observes noted, could be attributed to their respective fathers' role in the
Corona impeachment trial.
The Senate chief was the presiding officer while Sen. Angara was among those
who voted for the conviction of Corona.
Former senator and incumbent Department of Transportation and Communications
Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas III came 5th, - 47.5 percent.
Honasan received 39.5 percent; Pimentel 38.9 percent; Estrada 36.3 percent;
Trillanes IV, 34.8 percent and 30.4 percent.
The survey said that Honasan, Pimentel and Ejercito ranked 6-9 in the result,
while Trillanes was in the 6-11th rank; and Zubiri in the 6-13th rank.
Completing the Magic 15 are former Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon, 29.6 percent;
Angara, 28.9 percent; Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay, daughter of Vice President
Jejomar Binay, 27.5 percent; former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar, 25.1 percent
and former Sen. Jamby Madrigal, 23.4 percent.
Other personalities listed by some political parties as their contenders in
the 2013 mid-term election came on the 13-21st rank in the survey. They include
Bureau of Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon (23.2 percent), Jose de Venecia III
(23.2 percent), Vilma Santos-Recto (23 percent), Mark Lapid (22.5 percent), and
Imee Marcos (22.4 percent)
They are folowed by daughter of late action king, Fernando Poe Jr., Grace Poe
(20.7 percent), Bacoor Rep., Lani Mercado-Revilla, (18.2 percent), former Sen.
Ernesto Maceda (18 percent), Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (15.7 percent), and
Zambales Rep. Mitos Magsaysay (14.4 percent).
Notably, those who have announced their senatorial bid in the 2013 mid- term
elections have to work hard after they found themselves at the bottom, among
them are Baraquel, Magsaysay, Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia (29-39), Rep. Erin Tanada
(32-40) and Rep. Teddy Casino (32-41).
The survey was a multiple-response poll. Respondents were asked the question:
"Kung ang nasabing halalan sa 2013 ay isasagawa ngayon, sinu-sino sa mga
sumusunod na personalidad ang inyong iboboto kung sakaling sila ay kakandidato
sa pagka-senador?"
Respondents could name up to 12 personalities from the list showed to them.
As this developed, Trillanes announced he will be seeking a fresh mandate
under the LP although he "endorsed" in the May 2010 presidential polls, the
Nationalista Party (NP) of Sen. Manuel Villar.
"I was invited by the administration so I intent to run with the
administration ticket," Trillanes said, adding that he's ally of the President
"so it is just natural for me to run under his slate."
But when asked if he will eventually join LP, Trillanes answered in the
negative, saying that he will be running independent candidate and will not be
joining the party as a member.
"Adopted lang ako sa administration slate. I will still run as an
independent," Trillanes said, admitting that although there were feelers sent to
him to join formally LP, he opted to remain independent.
Asked on the reason why, Trillanes merely said "no comment muna."
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
PH Headline News Online. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved