Corona's trust rating plummets as Aquino retains high popularity

MANILA, Philippines (Mar 22 2012) - In a milieu dominated by spiraling oil prices, economic woes and the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a big majority of Filipinos trust and approve of their President and repudiate their Chief Justice.

In a statement, the Pulse Asia said President Benigno Aquino II had approval ratings of 70 percent and a trust ratings of 69 percent in a poll conducted between February 26 and March 9, 2012. A total of 1,200 were interviewed as respondents. The poll had an error margin of plus and minus three percent and confidence level of 95 percent.

"Between November 2011 and March 2012, the overall performance ratings of President Aquino...are practically unchanged," Pulse Asia said. President Benigno Aquino III continued to enjoy high approval and trust ratings, the latest poll showed.

On the other hand, majority of Filipinos are dissatisfied with the performance of and distrust Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, according to the same survey.

Pulse Asia said 58 percent of the survey's respondents disapprove of Corona's performance. Fourteen percent, meanwhile, approve of the embattled magistrate's performance while 26 percent was undecided.

The survey coincides with the Senate hearing of the impeachment case of Corona.

The survey question was: Mayroon ako ritong mga pangalan ng ilang mga opisyal ng ating pamahalaan. Pakisabi ninyo ang inyong opinyon tungkol sa pagganap nila ng kanilang tungkulin nitong huling tatlong buwan.

The survey firm said that on Corona's performance, "disapproval is the majority sentiment across geographic areas (52 percent to 61 percent) and socio-economic groupings (57percent to 64 percent).

It added that compared to its similar November 2011 survey, Corona's performance rating dropped by 24 percent and his disapproval rating increased by 34 percent.

Ambivalence as regards to (Corona's) work becomes less pronounced during this period, the survey firm added.

Corona's approval rating in Pulse Asia's November 2011 survey was 38 percent while only 24 percent disapproved of his performance and 37 percent are undecided.

Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay remained on top of public officials who garnered the highest performance mark.

Pulse Asia said 84 percent approve of Binay's performance while 3 percent disapprove with 13 percent undecided.

Binay was followed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile with a 71 percent performance rating, 7 percent disapproval rating with only 21 percent undecided.

Enrile was followed by President Benigno Aquino III, who got a 70 percent performance rating and 9 percent disapproval rating with 21 percent undecided.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., meanwhile, got a 41 percent approval rating and 16 percent disapproval rating with 41 percent undecided. (From Philstar.com)