Despite drop in SWS survey, Binay says core support remains solid

The graph shows the falling approval and trust rating of Vice President Jejomar Binay from September 2013 to September 2015 as measured by Pulse Asia. In its presidential survey for February 2016, the Social Weather Stations saw Binay’s ratings slip another 2 percent from results a month earlier.

The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay said the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey affirmed Binay’s “solid” core support despite a drop in his ratings.
In a statement on Monday, Binay’s spokesperson Rico Quicho said Binay’s core support remained solid and was growing.
READ: Binay, Roxas slip in latest SWS poll; Duterte, Poe tied in 2nd

“The recent SWS survey results confirm that the core support of the Vice President is solid and steadily growing,” Quicho said.

He said despite Binay’s dip in ratings, the real survey would be on election day in May.

“While the present survey results are encouraging, the Vice President is well aware that the real survey is still on election day itself,” Quicho said.

Quicho said Binay would continue to strive to reach out to the people about his platform of eliminating poverty.

“The Vice President will work even harder to convey to our people his programs that will address poverty,” Quicho said.

In the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) forum on Oct. 27 last year, Binay was asked about the corruption allegations against him. He said poverty was the moral issue of the times.

READ: Binay: Poverty, not corruption, is PH’s ‘moral problem

Binay faces graft indictment before the Ombudsman for allegedly rigging the procurement of the design and construction of the P2.2-billion Makati City Hall Building II, deemed the country’s priciest car park building.

A Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee has also recommended the filing of plunder charges against him due to supposed corruption during his term as Makati mayor.

Binay has decried politics as behind a bid to derail his presidential bid, calling the Senate investigation a political inquisition.

Quicho said Binay would be focusing on his message of compassion for the poor by giving them free social services.

“As the campaign period progresses, the Vice President remains focused on his message that competence, experience in governance, and compassion are the key factors to fight poverty and provide jobs, quality education, and healthcare services,” Quicho said.

According to the latest SWS survey conducted Feb. 5 to 7 among 1,200 respondents, Binay’s survey ratings dipped to 29 percent from 31 percent in January.

Despite the dip, Binay remained the frontrunner, with Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe statistically tied at 24 percent.

Duterte’s ratings increased from 20 percent in January, while Poe ratings remained flat.

Trailing them is Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas who got 18 percent, down from 21 percent in January.

Meanwhile, Sen. Miriam Santiago only got four percent of respondents, from three percent in January.

The survey had a margin of error at + or -3 points.