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Monday, July 24, 2006
Arroyo's approval rating improved: survey
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's net approval and trust ratings pulled through but she has a long way to go before she could regain the public's trust and appreciation for her performance, the June 24-July 8 survey of Pulse Asia said on Sunday.
The results of the survey, which had 1,200 respondents, showed Arroyo's disapproval rating going down from 50 percent in March to 44 percent (21 million Filipinos) in July. However, her approval rating remains at 26 percent.
This means her net approval rating went up from minus 24 in March to negative 18 in July.
The President's trust ratings showed the same results, with distrust dropping from 50 percent in March to 47 percent (22.5 million Filipinos) in July. Her trust rating slightly rose from 22 percent in March to 23 percent in July. Her net trust rating is now negative 24 from negative 28 in March.
Indecision on whether to approve of her performance (from 24 to 29 percent) or to trust her (from 28 to 30 percent) also rose.
Compared to July 2005, Arroyo's approval and trust ratings also improved. Her net approval rating rose from negative 39 (19 percent approval v. 58 percent disapproval) in July 2005 to negative 18 (26 percent v. 44 percent). The number of undecided also went up from 22 percent to 29 percent.
Arroyo's net trust rating also improved from negative 42 (17 percent trust v. 59 percent distrust) in July 2005 to negative 24 (23 percent trust v. 47 percent distrust). Indecision rose from 24 to 30 percent.
However, Pulse Asia noted that Arroyo's overall approval and trust ratings are still way below her average in 2001-2004. Her average overall approval rating was 46-56 percent while her average overall trust rating was 40-51 percent.
The survey firm said despite the Arroyo administration's aggressive campaigns to highlight several economic and social projects, the President "has yet to regain the public's trust and the people's appreciation of her performance as Chief Executive."
"No president before her has experienced as extended a period of low public esteem; whereas public disenchantment in terms of low approval and trust ratings generally improve for Philippine presidents within two to three quarters, President Arroyo's deflated approval and trust ratings have proven less tractable and outright improvements in public assessments of her performance and trustworthiness have been slow in coming," it said.
The survey also showed that more than half (55 percent) of Filipinos are most concerned about inflation, workers' pay (50 percent), economic recovery (36 percent), graft and corruption (34 percent), and poverty (34 percent).
Arroyo got negative marks in nine out of 14 national issues considered by the public as urgent. These are controlling inflation (-31); poverty reduction (-28); eradicating graft and corruption in government (-23)); increasing the pay of workers (-18); restoring people's trust in government and its officials (-14); putting government finances in order (-10); enforcing the law both on influential and ordinary people (-9); economic recovery (-7); and providing access to affordable and dependable electric power (-5).
The President only got positive scores in terms of encouraging new investments (6); curbing widespread criminality (4); preparing to successfully face terrorism (3); and stopping environmental abuse and destruction.
Pulse Asia said Filipinos are now more appreciative of the Arroyo government's efforts at governance but they are still "mostly reluctant to change their negative stance." (JMR/Sunnex)
(July 24, 2006 issue)
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