Poll: 2 of 3 Pinoys distrusted Arroyo during her last 3 months in power

(Updated 5:11 p.m.) About two of three Filipinos did not trust Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the tail-end of her nine-year rule as president, a Pulse Asia survey showed. Released Wednesday, the result of the survey conducted from July 1-11 showed that public disapproval and distrust were the prevailing sentiments on Mrs. Arroyo during her last three months in Malacañang. “About two in three Filipinos (62 percent) are critical of the work done by former President Arroyo during the period April to June 2010, while around the same percentages either approve of the same or are ambivalent on the matter (16 percent versus 22 percent). These figures are generally unchanged relative to those obtaining in Pulse Asia’s March 2010 nationwide survey," Pulse Asia said. Sought for comment, Elena Bautista-Horn, Mrs Arroyo’s spokesperson and chief of staff, said they want to know how the survey and the questions were crafted, phrased and asked. “Kasi depende talaga sa pagtatanong mo (It depends on how the questions were crafted," she said. The Pulse Asia survey said the majorities across geographic areas (56 to 67 percent) and socio-economic groupings (56 to 64 percent) disapprove of Mrs. Arroyo’s performance. Those in the Visayas (27 percent) are most appreciative of her work, while low public approval levels may be noted in Metro Manila (13 percent), the rest of Luzon (13 percent), Mindanao (14 percent), and Classes D and E (15 to 16 percent). “With respect to indecision levels, figures range from 17 percent in the Visayas to 24 percent in the rest of Luzon and Mindanao," it said. Between March and July 2010, the only double-digit changes in Mrs. Arroyo’s performance ratings occurred in the Visayas and Class ABC where public indecision eased by 10 and 11 percentage points, respectively. The survey showed 67 percent of Filipinos expressed distrust. In contrast, 13 percent trust Mrs. Arroyo, while 20 percent are unable to say if they trust or distrust her. “There are essentially no changes in the overall trust ratings of former President Arroyo during the period April to July 2010," it said. On the other hand, Pulse Asia said public distrust is the predominant sentiment regarding the trustworthiness of Mrs. Arroyo in all geographic areas of the country. It said the figures ranged from 61 percent in the Visayas to 73 percent in Metro Manila. Virtually the same distrust ratings are recorded in all socio-economic classes (66 to 67 percent). On the other hand, trust ratings vary from 9 percent in Metro Manila to 21 percent in the Visayas across geographic areas, while almost similar figures are posted in the different socio-economic groupings (12 to 17 percent). “With respect to public indecision on the matter of trusting or distrusting former President Arroyo, almost the same levels may be observed across geographic areas (18 to 24 percent) and socio-economic classes (18 to 21 percent). Figures recorded in these sub-groupings remain practically constant between April and July 2010," it said. Meaningful achievement The survey showed Filipinos consider former President Arroyo’s infrastructure projects as her most meaningful achievement (43 percent) ,while among her biggest failures are her inability to address the problems of corruption (26 percent) and inflation (17 percent). “A big plurality of Filipinos (43 percent) is most appreciative of former President Arroyo’s efforts to upgrade the country’s infrastructures (airports, ports). Majorities of those in Class ABC (53 percent) and Metro Manila (54 percent) cite infrastructure improvements as the former President’s biggest achievement while big pluralities in the other geographic areas (40 to 45 percent) and socio-economic groupings (40 to 44 percent) also do the same," it said. It said, less than one in 10 Filipinos cited other achievements of Arroyo such as improving access to education (6 percent), providing assistance to victims of natural calamities (4 percent), providing assistance to the poor (4 percent), providing health insurance (3 percent), providing jobs (2 percent), ensuring peace and order (2 percent), improving the welfare of soldiers and law enforcers (1 percent), and increasing the pay of workers (1 percent). However, about a quarter (26 percent) did not cite any meaningful achievement Arroyo, with figures ranging from 17 to 34 percent across geographic areas and 16 to 30 percent across socio-economic classes. Biggest shortcoming On the other hand, Mrs. Arroyo’s failure to address the problem of corruption during her term is considered by 26 percent of Filipinos as her biggest shortcoming. “This view is articulated by 23 to 32% across the country’s geographic areas and by 21% to 35% across socio-economic groupings. Meanwhile, her inability to control the spiraling costs of basic commodities is identified by 17% of Filipinos, her extensive foreign travels are mentioned by 13%, and election cheating (e.g., 'Hello, Garci' controversy) is cited by 11% as former President Arroyo’s biggest failures," Pulse Asia said. Other issues identified by less than one in 10 Filipinos are her failure to provide jobs (8 percent), address the problem of criminality and resolve the Maguindanao massacre (3 percent), address the problem of poverty (2 percent), increase the salaries of workers (1 percent), and provide scholarships (1 percent). About one in 10 Filipinos (11 percent) refused or was unable to cite what they consider to be former President Arroyo’s biggest failure/shortcoming. The survey was done July 1 to 11, using face-to-face interviews. It had a ± 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the survey have a ± 6% error margin, also at 95% confidence level. - with Amita O. Legaspi/LBG/KBK, GMANews.TV