Improved Binay, Enrile ratings expected to boost children’s candidacies

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TANAUAN, Leyte, Philippines—Every little bit helps.

The recent improvement in the approval ratings of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is a boost for their children, who are both running as senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance.

The latest Pulse Asia survey results showed that Binay’s approval rating jumped six points to 76 percent, while that of Enrile improved by seven points to 53 percent. Binay and Enrile also enjoyed trust ratings of 75 and 51 percent, respectively.

Jack Enrile said the better approval ratings of his father could help his campaign. The younger Enrile was in 11th to 16th places in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

“We all know that the name of the game is name recall and public perception, so every little bit helps,” Enrile told reporters.

He also noted that the ratings of the candidates were too close together, with only a miniscule difference between them, which is why the rankings are fluid and could very well change when the next issue comes along.

Nancy Binay, interviewed in Baybay, said that the improved trust ratings could also help her among voters, since she bears her father’s surname.

“I guess if he has high ratings it will rub off on me, on all of us,” she said. She was in fourth to 11th places in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

She added that she once saw survey results indicating that the vice president had good endorsement powers.

Meanwhile, Enrile said that while he was hoping that all nine UNA candidates would win, the best-case scenario he sees is a 6-6 split of the 12 slots between UNA and Team PNoy. The worst-case scenario would be 9-3, with only three spots going to UNA.

“We have to be realistic,” he said.

He said he was expecting black propaganda to intensify as Election Day draws near, and called on voters to scrutinize the candidates well and study their platforms.

Other UNA candidates earlier said they were the target of demolition jobs.

Joseph Victor Ejercito earlier said a recent report exposing his secret accounts overseas was a “clumsy demolition job.” He had questioned the timing of the report, saying it came out when he was doing well in the surveys.