Pulse Asia: Aquino gets good grade on tackling national issues

MANILA, Philippines – Majority of Filipinos gave President Benigno Aquino III a good or passing grade on the handling of 11 national issues, a Pulse Asia survey released Thursday found.

According to the study which was conducted from June 20 to July 4, 2013 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, Aquino was given an average passing grade of 80 out of 100 in selected national issues.

The “Ulat ng Bayan” national survey covered 11 national concerns such as the management of the economy, increasing peace in the country, controlling fast population growth, and fighting graft and corruption in government, among others.

Aquino got the highest grade in the “Strengthening Political Institutions such as the Electoral System and Relations between Branches of Government” issue.

Among those surveyed, 50 percent gave Aquino a grade of Good (80-89), 18 percent gave a grade of Lowest Pass (75-79) while 17 percent gave a grade of Very Good(90-99).

Under “Management of the Economy” issue, 49 percent gave Aquino a grade of Good (80-89) while 20 percent gave a grade of Very Good (90-99). He got a grade of Lowest Pass (75-79) from 17 percent of those surveyed.

Aquino’s lowest grade was under the “Reducing the Poverty of many Filipinos” issue. Only 33 percent gave him a grade of Good (80-89), 25 percent gave him a grade of Lowest Pass (75-79), and 14 percent gave a grade of Very Good (90-99).

A large majority gave Aquino’s performance in the “Fighting Graft and Corruption in Government” issue a Good (36 percent) or Very Good (25 percent) grade.

Aquino’s average grade on all 11 issues ranged from 75 to 80.

The study noted that there was little change in Aquino’s grade compared to an August 2011 survey.

“Survey respondents to Pulse Asia’s June 2013 nationwide survey grant President Aquino basically the same passing grades on selected national issues as those he obtained after his first year in office,” it said.