Aquino not alone: Binay, other execs’ ratings drop

It turns out President Benigno Aquino III is not alone in suffering a serious decline in public approval.

The results of a recent Pulse Asia survey showed not just the President but all of the country’s top 5 officials posting declines in their approval and trust ratings between March and June 2014.

Pulse Asia earlier released the results of its June 2014 Ulat ng Bayan survey showing Mr. Aquino’s approval rating dropping by 14 percentage points, from 70 percent to 56 percent, and his trust rating also down by 16 points, from to 69 percent to 53 percent.

Even the topnotcher, Vice President Jejomar Binay was down scoring 81 percent, down 6 points from 87 percent in March, while 16 percent were undecided about, and 4 percent disapproved of, his performance.

Senate President Franklin Drilon posted 52 percent approval, down six points from 58 percent in March, while indecision about his performance increased 15 points, from 23 percent to 38 percent. Disapproval with Drilon’s performance declined by 8 points from 18 percent to 10 percent.

The approval ratings of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno similarly dropped—from 36 percent to 33 percent and from 40 percent to 35 percent, respectively. Forty-eight percent were undecided about Belmonte’s performance while 15 percent disapproved. Indecision about Sereno’s performance stood at 50 percent, while 12 percent disapproved.

Majority approval ratings

Of these five top officials, Mr. Aquino, Binay and Drilon were the only ones to have scored majority approval ratings, Pulse Asia said. “Appreciation was the majority sentiment for these three officials,” it said.

On the other hand, a plurality of those surveyed showed ambivalence toward the performance of Belmonte and Sereno, Pulse Asia said.

Binay registered declines in all geographical areas, obtaining lower approval ratings in the rest of Luzon (84 percent from 92 percent), Visayas (71 percent from 81 percent), Mindanao (85 percent from 87 percent) and Metro Manila (77 percent from 79 percent).

By classes, Binay’s approval rating went down among Classes ABC (73 percent from 80 percent), D (82 percent from 88 percent) and E (82 percent from 87 percent).

Drilon’s approval rating dropped in the rest of Luzon (48 percent from 56 percent) and the Visayas (52 percent from 64 percent). In Metro Manila, it was at 43 percent (from 44 percent) while in Mindanao it was at 65 percent (from 64 percent).

The Senate President’s approval rating also declined among Classes ABC (42 percent from 53 percent), D (53 percent from 58 percent) and E (52 percent from 59 percent).

Belmonte’s approval rating slightly went up 2 points in Metro Manila (41 percent from 39 percent), remained unchanged in Mindanao (41 percent), but declined in the rest of Luzon (29 percent from 34 percent) and the Visayas (26 percent from 34 percent).

Among socioeconomic groups, Belmonte’s approval rating was one point up in Class E (35 percent from 34 percent) but dropped in Classes ABC (35 percent from 42 percent) and D (32 percent from 36 percent).

Sereno drops in all classes

Sereno’s approval ratings dropped across all areas and classes, with double-digit declines in the Visayas (23 percent from 34 percent) and Classes ABC (26 percent from 49 percent).

Binay and Drilon both posted single-digit declines in their trust ratings—from 86 percent to 79 percent and from 55 percent to 46 percent, respectively. Sixteen percent were undecided and 5 percent said they distrusted the Vice President, while 42 percent were undecided and 11 percent distrusted the Senate President.

Belmonte and Sereno also posted lower trust ratings from 31 percent to 28 percent and from 36 percent to 32 percent, respectively.

Trust in Binay ranged from 72 percent in the Visayas and 84 percent in Mindanao and from 65 percent among Classes ABC and 81 percent among Class E.

Drilon’s trust ratings ranged from 38 percent in Metro Manila and 61 percent in Mindanao and from 35 percent among Classes ABC to 48 percent among Class D.

Belmonte’s trust rating was up by a point in Luzon (37 percent from 36 percent) and Class E (29 percent from 28 percent) but sharply declined in the Visayas (17 percent from 34 percent) and Classes ABC (27 percent from 37 percent).

The Chief Justice’s trust rating plunged across most areas and classes, with marked declines in the Visayas (16 percent from 32 percent) and Classes ABC (25 percent from 44 percent). It remained unchanged in Metro Manila (31 percent).

The survey, conducted from June 24 to July 2, used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults aged 18 and older. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Among the issues that preoccupied the country immediately before and during the conduct of the survey were: The filing of plunder charges against three opposition senators and other personalities implicated in the congressional pork barrel scam; the Supreme Court decision declaring the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) unconstitutional; the continued tension between the Philippines and China; and the President’s decision to reject the nomination of actress Nora Aunor as National Artist for Film. Inquirer Research

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