Pulse: Robredo, Pimentel enjoy high approval ratings

Vice President Leni Robredo INQUIRER FILE / RICHARD REYES

Majority of Filipinos approve of the performance of Vice President Leni Robredo (62 percent) and Senate President Aquilino “Koko” L. Pimentel III (55 percent), according to the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Approval is also the plurality sentiment for the performance of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (47 percent) while House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez records virtually the same approval (43 percent) and indecision figures (41 percent).

Pulse Asia earlier released the results of the same survey, conducted from Dec. 6 to 11, 2016, showing President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval and trust ratings at 83 percent.

The performance ratings of the top national government officials barely changed from the last survey in September, except for Pimentel whose approval rating decreased by six percentage points. By region and economic class, the Senate President’s approval ranged from 63 percent in Mindanao to 50 percent in Visayas and 56 percent from Class D respondents to 49 percent from Class ABC.

By region, Robredo’s approval ranged from 69 percent in Mindanao to 53 percent in Metro Manila. By economic class, she recorded 62 percent approval among Class D and E and 56 percent among the Class ABC.

The approval rating of Alvarez ranged from 57 percent in Mindanao to 35 percent in Visayas and 47 percent among Class E to 39 percent among Class ABC.

For the Chief Justice, her approval rating ranged from 50 percent in Metro Manila to 41 percent in Visayas. By economic class, Sereno scored 47 percent approval among Class ABC and E and 46 percent among Class D.

The poll also found that trust ratings declined for all top officials.

Fifty-eight percent of those polled said they had “big trust” in the Vice President. The figure is seven percentage points lower than Robredo’s 65 percent record in September. Her trust ratings ranged from 66 percent in Mindanao to 51 percent in Metro Manila, while it ranged from 60 percent among Class D to 47 percent among Class ABC.

Pimentel’s trust ratings also declined from 55 percent in September to 50 percent in December. Eight percent either had “small or no trust” and 41 percent were undecided.

“Big trust” in the House Speaker was at 38 percent, down from the 41 percent in September. Fourteen percent had “small or no trust” and 46 percent were undecided.

Sereno was trusted by 41 percent of the respondents, down from the 44 percent last survey. Thirteen percent had little or no trust and 44 percent were undecided.

The Senate, House of Representatives and Supreme Court posted majority approval and trust ratings, with 58 percent approving of the Senate’s performance, 55 percent approving of the Supreme Court’s performance and 51 percent approving of the House of Representatives’ performance.

The majority of the respondents also expressed trust in the Senate (57 percent), Supreme Court (53 percent) and House of Representatives (51 percent).

The noncommissioned survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos nationwide. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Headlines at the time of the survey included: the resignation of Robredo as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council after being barred from attending Cabinet meetings; the decision of the Supreme Court to dismiss the consolidated petitions against the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani; the Sandiganbayan’s acquittal of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her husband and former Commission on Elections Chair Benjamin Abalos Sr. in the graft case related to the NBN-ZTE deal and the acquittal of former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay in relation to the alleged overpriced purchase of furniture for the Makati City Hall, among others.

Pimentel was elated with the latest Pulse Asia survey that showed he performed well as Senate leader.

“(I’m) happy because although some numbers declined they are still high and acceptable,” Pimentel said in a text message. —WITH A REPORT FROM CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO

Source: Pulse Asia