Pulse: Rody keeps high trust, approval ratings

President Duterte’s trust and approval ratings remained high in the last quarter of 2017, the latest survey by Pulse Asia showed yesterday.

Duterte received an approval score of 80 percent against seven percent who disapproved of his performance.

The President’s trust rating also increased by two points from 80 percent to 82 percent.

Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan survey was conducted nationwide from Dec. 10-15 and 17, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults 18 years old and above.

In an interview with ANC, Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes said Duterte’s scores were slightly higher than those received by his predecessor, former president Benigno Aquino III, around the same time.

Vice President Leni Robredo and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III also maintained high approval and trust ratings in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Robredo obtained an approval score of 59 percent in December from 57 percent in

September.

Holmes said changes in Robredo’s scores were “insignificant,” which could be attributed to a “lack of information” as to what she does, among others.

Pimentel received an approval rating of 57 percent from 55 percent.

Trust in the Vice President also increased in the last quarter of last year at 58 percent from 55 percent.

Pimentel’s trust rating slightly increased from 52 percent to 53 percent.

More Filipinos expressed approval of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s performance at 42 percent, up from 33 percent in September.

Trust in Alvarez also rose from 31 percent to 37 percent.

Among top government officials, only Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno’s approval and trust ratings dropped.

Sereno – who is facing an impeachment complaint – received an approval score of 31 percent (from 35 percent) and trust rating of 27 percent (from 31 percent).

The Chief Justice also received the highest disapproval and distrust ratings at 26 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

Holmes noted that the decline in Sereno’s numbers may continue “until such time that she would be able to present her own side” in the impeachment hearings.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Senate, Congress, SC ratings up

Approval and trust in the Senate went up by four points and six points to 55 percent and 56 percent, respectively.

The House of Representatives got an approval score of 50 percent from 44 percent and a trust rating of 49 percent from 42 percent.

The Supreme Court’s approval and trust ratings both increased by two points from 46 percent to 48 percent and from 43 percent to 45 percent, respectively.

The poll was conducted during the time Congress ratified the tax reform bill, extended martial law in Mindanao and heard the impeachment complaint against Sereno, Pulse Asia said.

Palace welcomes survey results

Malacañang welcomed the survey results and called on the public to help the government as it works to solve the country’s problems.

“These numbers show that the people are aware of and recognize the significant strides the President undertook in his one year and a half in office,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

“We call on everyone to put this appreciation into action by standing as one and helping the government as we continue to address the problems of poverty, illegal drugs, crime and corruption,” he added.

Roque said the President would continue to discharge his duties “with the nation’s interest foremost in his mind.”

Pimentel also welcomed the ratings he and the chamber obtained in the Pulse Asia survey.

He said while the Senate is identified with the Duterte administration, which has been rocked by controversies such as the drug-related extrajudicial killings, the chamber was also at the forefront in conducting inquiries into the same issues.

“Hence that willingness to investigate and put an end to abuse or allegations of abuse helped me and the Senate with our ratings,” Pimentel said.

He said he was thankful the people have appreciated the work of the Senate.

Pimentel also congratulated Alvarez, whom he said posted relatively high survey ratings for a locally elected official.

Pimentel said a nationally elected official was expected to have a higher national rating compared to a locally elected official.

“But I should point out that for a locally elected official, the ratings of the Speaker are high and impressive,” Pimentel said.

Lawmakers laud Rody’s high ratings

Allies of President Duterte in the House of Representatives credited his continued high ratings to his performance.

House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu viewed the President’s high trust and approval ratings as “an affirmation of his good governance and political will to address the country’s pressing problems such as poverty and corruption.”

Abu said the latest survey results showed that a majority of Filipinos “support his advocacies and no-nonsense policies despite criticism against him and his administration.”

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte cited Duterte’s tough stance against junketeers in government posts, his firing of top officials suspected of abusing their positions, including his close allies.

Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting said the President was “doing the right thing.”

“While there is always space for constructive criticism, his critics should focus more on the substance of the policy rather than his way of doing things,” Tambunting said.