Aquino still has high trust, approval rating

President Benigno Aquino III. AFP FILE PHOTO

President Aquino has maintained his “big majority approval and trust ratings,” according to a Nov. 23-29 survey conducted by Pulse Asia.

The November 2012 Ulat ng Bayan survey revealed that 78 percent of Filipinos expressed approval of Mr. Aquino’s performance, an opinion that has gone unchanged from the previous quarter.

Mr. Aquino also registered a trust rating of 80 percent, up by two percentage points from the 78 percent recorded in September.

The survey also found that the Aquino administration posted majority approval ratings for its efforts in fighting crime, curbing corruption and enforcing the rule of law, among other things.

The public opinion polling body noted in a statement that “no significant changes in overall presidential ratings are recorded between September and November.”

Six percent expressed disapproval of the President’s performance, while 16 percent were undecided.

On the other hand, those who expressed distrust stood at four percent, while 16 percent were ambivalent.

President Aquino enjoys majority approval ratings across all geographic areas—Mindanao (83 percent), Visayas (79 percent), Luzon outside Metro Manila (77 percent) and Metro Manila (74 percent).

Trust is also the majority sentiment across the country, with Mr. Aquino posting his highest rating in  Mindanao (85 percent), followed by Metro Manila and Luzon outside and Metro Manila (both at 79 percent) and the Visayas (78 percent).

Highest from poorest

Among socioeconomic classes, the poorest Class E gave the President the highest approval and trust ratings of 79 percent and 83 percent, respectively.

Class D gave Mr. Aquino approval and trust ratings of 78 percent and 79 percent, respectively, and Class ABC gave him both 75 percent and 79 percent, respectively, the survey showed.

Pulse Asia also asked respondents to express approval, disapproval or indecision on the President’s performance on 11 selected national concerns.

The Aquino administration’s approval ratings were highest on issues of fighting criminality (67 percent), fighting graft and corruption (65 percent), law enforcement (64 percent), improving the national peace situation (63 percent), protecting the environment (60 percent), defending the country’s territorial integrity (57 percent) increasing the pay of workers (56 percent) and creating more jobs (55 percent).

The administration’s approval ratings registered the lowest on issues of controlling population (47 percent), poverty reduction (44 percent) and controlling inflation (40 percent).

The noncommissioned survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 sample respondents nationwide and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus-or-minus six percentage points for subnational percentages. Inquirer Research