Pulse Asia: Aquino’s trust rating still high but continues to dip

UPDATED 2:00 p.m. - President Benigno Aquino III still enjoys the trust and approval of a big majority of Filipinos but his survey ratings continue their downward trend, a recent survey by Pulse Asia revealed on Wednesday. In a survey conducted by the private pollster from May 21 to June 4, Aquino registered a 71 percent trust rating— slightly lower than his 75 percent rating last March. Aquino’s trust rating declined the most in the Visayas, where his score went down to 70 percent from 84 percent in March. Metro Manila respondents also gave the President a lower rating of 56 percent— 13 percentage points down from his previous rating of 69 percent. The President’s trust ratings also dipped among members of Classes ABC (63 percent) and D (69 percent) but his score among the members of Class E remained unchanged at 78 percent. The same poll showed that Aquino’s approval rating remained almost unchanged at 71 percent compared to his 74 percent score three months ago. Pulse Asia also noted public indecision to the President’s performance became “more pronounced" over the past three months, especially in the Visayas, Metro Manila and members of the upper and middle classes. ‘Incremental decrease’ Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the decrease in the President’s trust rating was only “incremental." He added that Aquino’s rating remains at “near-historical highs… despite obvious attempts by the enemies of reform to stoke the fires of negativism." “The latest Ulat ng Bayan numbers reflect wide-ranging support for the administration’s efforts to curb corruption, pursue inclusive growth, and provide basic services to the people," he said in a statement posted on the government website. Lacierda likewise said that the President continues to be committed in fulfilling his campaign promise of leading the country to “the straight and righteous path to equitable progress." Lower ratings The Pulse Asia survey results came out a day after another pollster, Social Weather Stations (SWS), released figures from its June 3 to 6 poll showing a five-point decline in Aquino’s net satisfaction rating. Lacierda on Tuesday has downplayed the drop in Aquino’s rating, saying that the level of dissatisfaction remained steady nationwide. The Pulse Asia survey was conducted nationwide among 1,200 adults. It has a margin of error of plus-or-minus three percent. Aquino also dismissed the dip in his approval ratings, saying he was more concerned about the people who were affected by recent floods than about his popularity. “I am not really that concerned with the popularity, it will go up and down," he said on Tuesday. High scores for fighting crime, corruption The survey also showed how the Aquino administration received majority approval ratings in six out of 11 national issues presented by Pulse Asia among its respondents. The government received the highest approval scores in fighting criminality (60 percent), enforcing the law to all (57 percent) and increasing peace in the country (57 percent). Majority of the respondents also thought that the Aquino presidency fared well in fighting graft and corruption (56 percent), creating more jobs (53 percent) and increasing the pay of workers (51 percent). The administration meanwhile obtained the lowest approval ratings in poverty reduction (40 percent) and in controlling inflation (39 percent). The survey was conducted at the time when fuel prices were steadily increasing. - VVP, GMA News