Survey shows dip, but performance approval, trust remain for top officials

PUBLIC OPINION on the performance and trustworthiness of the top government officials led by President Rodrigo R. Duterte remains “virtually constant” in Pulse Asia’s latest survey compared with its poll last December. But Mr. Duterte and Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo saw a modest to notable decline in their numbers — if still scoring majority approval and trust ratings as of March this year.

The survey was conducted from March 15 to 20, using facetoface interviews with 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. The survey has a± 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level, with subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered (Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) having a± 6% error margin, also at the 95% confidence level.

Among the public issues at the time of the survey were the impeachment lobby against Mr. Duterte and Ms. Robredo by their respective critics; the “claims made by retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas before the Senate regarding the killings he took part in as a member of the so-called Davao Death Squad”; the Senate inquiry as well into the Ick Joo Jee kidnapping- murder in October last year and the resulting suspension of the drugs war; reports by foreign watchers like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch; and Ms. Robredo’s video message on the sidelines of a UN conference.

“Most Filipinos approve of the work done by President Rodrigo R. Duterte (78%), Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo (58%), and Senate President Aquilino dL. Pimentel III (55%) in the previous quarter,” Pulse Asia said.

This compares with Mr. Duterte’s 83% in Pulse Asia’s Dec. 16, 2016, poll, as well as Ms. Robredo’s 62% and Mr. Pimentel’s 55% also in that poll. There was no change in Mr. Pimentel’s numbers, whereas Mr. Duterte dropped 5 percentage points to his March rating of 78% and Ms. Robredo, 4 percentage points to her March rating of 58%.

Pulse Asia said “nearly the same approval and indecision figures are obtained by House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez (40% versus 41%) and Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno (42% versus 41%).”

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, as well as the Senate, obtained majority approval and trust ratings in March, whereas “slightly fewer Filipinos approve of and trust the House of Representatives,” Pulse Asia said. Still, it added “overall performance and trust ratings of these key government institutions are essentially unchanged between December 2016 and March 2017.”

The survey noted that “only President Duterte succeeds in scoring majority approval figures in all geographic areas and socioeconomic groupings (71% to 88% and 77% to 86%, respectively).” In terms of social class, Mr. Duterte scored highest among the ABC at 86%, a 17 percentage-point increase from last December ‘s 69%.

“For her part, Vice-President Robredo registers majority approval ratings in most geographic areas and socio-economic classes ( 58% to 61% and 57% to 66%, respectively), with the exceptions being Metro Manila and Class ABC where she posts a near majority approval score (46%),” Pulse Asia said.

Ms. Robredo’s 46% among the ABC compares with her 56% last December. She also dropped 5 percentage points to her March rating of 57% in Class D but rose 4 percentage points to 66% in Class E. In terms of location, her biggest drop was 11 percentage points in Mindanao where her approval stood at 58%.

“Senate President Pimentel’s performance is appreciated by most Filipinos in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Mindanao, and in every socio- economic class ( 54% to 61% and 54% to 58%, respectively). It is only in the Visayas where ( he) fails to obtain a majority approval rating (48%),” Pulse Asia said.

In terms of trust, “the only significant movement at this time is experienced by President Duterte as his trust rating drops by 7 percentage points,” Pulse Asia said, adding:

“On the other hand, the highest distrust rating, numerically speaking, is recorded by VicePresident Robredo (16%) while the lowest is registered by President Duterte (5%).”

The survey also noted: “Across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, Vice-President Robredo’s indecision rating goes down in Class ABC (-24 percentage points) but distrust for her increases in the same socio- economic grouping (+21 percentage points).”

“Ambivalence concerning these officials’ trustworthiness is most pronounced toward House Speaker Alvarez (44%)....” Pulse Asia said in part, as it noted: “A big plurality of Filipinos ( 44%) cannot say if they trust or distrust House Speaker Alvarez.”

In terms of location and class, “(t)rust is the predominant sentiment toward President Duterte,” while Ms. Robredo enjoys majority trust ratings throughout these fields with the exception of Metro Manila and Class ABC where she posts plurality trust scores.

Mr. Pimentel received majority trust ratings in Metro Manila ( 55%), Mindanao ( 59%), and Classes ABC and E ( 52% and 54%, respectively), while half of those in Class D (50%) also trust him. In the rest of Luzon and the Visayas, he receives almost the same trust and indecision figures ( 43% to 48% and 40% to 48%, respectively), Pulse Asia said.

Trust is the majority sentiment toward Mr. Alvarez in Mindanao ( 52%) “while most Visayans cannot say if they trust or distrust him (55%),” Pulse Asia said. “Indecision is the plurality sentiment in Class D (45%). Almost the same trust and indecision figures are registered by the House Speaker in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and Classes ABC and E (32% to 45% and 37% to 46%, respectively).”

Ms. Sereno has a near majority of trust (48%) in Mindanao. “In the other geographic areas and socio-economic classes, the Supreme Court Chief Justice posts virtually the same trust and indecision figures (34% to 47% versus 40% to 46%),” Pulse Asia said.

Sought for comment, University of Santo Tomas political science professor Edmund S. Tayao in a phone interview said: “Among others, it seems that the results of the officials remain unchanged. And even... the performance rating of the President is well within the margin of error.”

Regarding Ms. Robredo’s numbers, Mr. Tayao said: “I’m [of ] the impression that the rating of the Vice-President will be inversely proportional to the rating of the administration, but the results of Pulse Asia says otherwise.”

Mr. Tayao also noted that “the government has also managed to come up with good policies and programs that are popular with the people, like the end of labor only contracting and the increase in the social security pension.”

“What I’m not sure [of ] is if the next survey will reflect the issues of in-fighting in the government,” he added.

Among the top officials sought for comment, Mr. Pimentel said in a text message: “Salamat sa Dios (Thanks to God) for the trust and confidence of the people.” — with