Presidential Trust Ratings, Presidential Appointments, and Expectations for the First Six Months of the Aquino Administration

Pulse Asia is pleased to share with you some findings on Presidential Trust Ratings, Presidential Appointments, and Expectations for the First Six Months of the Aquino Administration from the July 2010 Ulat ng Bayan national survey. We request you to assist us in informing the public by disseminating this information.

The survey fieldwork was conducted from July 1 to 11, 2010 using face to face interviews.  Among the main developments immediately prior to and during the conduct of the interviews for this survey are: (1) the inauguration of President Benigno C. Aquino III; (2) the presidential appointments to key positions in government; (3) the filing of a resolution by Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo calling for a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution; (4) former Senator Manuel A. Roxas’s filing of an electoral protest seeking a full count of the null votes for vice-president in the May 2010 elections; (5) the races for the Senate presidency and House speakership; (6) the filing of graft charges against Pampanga Representative Arroyo, particularly in connection with the NBN-ZTE deal; (7) calls for the resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez; (8) several cases of extrajudicial killings under the Aquino administration and the President’s order for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to quickly put a stop to these killings; (9) the new administration’s disclosure that more than half of the national budget has been depleted as of June 2010; and (10) the increase in the prices of oil, electricity, cement, and sugar.

Based on a multistage probability sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above, the survey has a ± 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level.  Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the survey (i.e., Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) have a ± 6% error margin, also at 95% confidence level. (Those interested in further technical details concerning the surveys’ questionnaires and sampling design may request Pulse Asia in writing for fuller details, including copies of the pre-tested questions actually used.)  

Pulse Asia’s pool of academic fellows takes full responsibility for the design and conduct of the survey, as well as for analyses it makes based on the survey data. In keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced any of these processes.  Pulse Asia undertakes Ulat ng Bayan surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort.

For any clarification or questions, kindly contact Prof. Ronald D. Holmes, Pulse Asia President at 09189335497 / 9945602 or Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia Chief Research Fellow at 09189436816.

President Benigno C. Aquino III is trusted by a huge majority of Filipinos (85%)

President Aquino appears to be off to a good start with 85% of Filipinos expressing trust in him – the highest trust rating ever recorded by any individual included in Pulse Asia’s trust probes since 1999.  On the other hand, a negligible percentage (2%) distrusts the new President while 13% are unable to say if they trust or distrust him. Between April and July 2010, President Aquino’s overall trust rating rises by +18 percentage points and his overall indecision and distrust ratings decline by -8 and -9 percentage points, respectively. (See Tables 1 and 2).

The President enjoys basically the same trust ratings across the country’s geographic areas (83% to 89%) and socio-economic groupings (84% to 88%). Furthermore, almost the same indecision and distrust ratings obtain in these sub-groupings (9% to 15% and 1% to 3%, respectively). Double-digit improvements in the President’s trust ratings across geographic areas (+15 to +18 percentage points) and socio-economic classes (+17 to +21 percentage points) occur between April and July 2010. Meanwhile, indecision ratings decrease by double-digit margins in the rest of Luzon (-10 percentage points) and Class ABC (-13 percentage points) while distrust ratings drop in Metro Manila (-10 percentage points) and Mindanao (-11 percentage points), as well as Class D (-10 percentage points), during this period. (See Tables 1 and 2).

Selected appointments made by President Aquino to key government positions are generally well-received by the public

Most Filipinos are aware of presidential appointments to selected government posts with figures ranging from 57% for the appointments of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin to 82% for the appointment of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Soliman. (See Table 3).

Among those aware of their respective appointments, at least half approves of all 11 presidential appointees included in this probe. The highest level of approval (72%) is for DSWD Secretary Soliman’s appointment, followed by the appointment of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima (69%), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alberto Romulo (67%), and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Jesus A. Versoza (67%). On the other hand, near to small majorities approve of the appointments of  DND Secretary Gazmin (50%), Presidential Adviser Deles (51%), Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Cesar Purisima (55%), Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa (55%), Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Brother Armin Luistro (58%),  Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad (62%), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Ric David (64%).  Meanwhile, 22% to 36% of those aware of these selected presidential appointments cannot say if they approve or disapprove of President Aquino’s choice for these government positions. (See Table 3).

Jobs and price control top the people’s wish list for the Aquino administration

According to 36% of Filipinos, providing jobs to the people should be the first order of business for the Aquino administration in its first six months in office – a concern cited by pluralities in the Visayas (33%), Metro Manila (35%), and the rest of Luzon (43%), as well as in Classes D and E (35% to 38%). On the other hand, 22% of Filipinos say the new administration should prioritize price control – a plurality issue among Mindanaoans (32%) – while addressing the problem of corruption is considered a priority task by 13% of Filipinos. These three issues are cited by the same percentages of those in Class ABC – jobs (22%), price control (22%), and corruption (22%). The other issues are mentioned by less than one in ten Filipinos (e.g., education, workers’ wages, agriculture, peace, housing, and livelihood). (See Table 4).

Meanwhile, most Filipinos (85%) consider it of utmost importance for the new administration to implement measures to control the spiraling cost of goods and services. Big majorities also deem it very important for the Aquino administration to not only make new pro-poor programs but also find ways to finance these (75%), as well as to create new jobs for Filipinos (73%). Likewise, the following issues are also seen as being very important by near to small majorities of Filipinos – appointing individuals with skills, experience and integrity to key government positions (60%), preparing a program addressing the government’s fiscal and debt problems (59%), continuing peace negotiations with armed political groups (56%), forging a government of national unity (54%), and providing loans for small businesses and the self-employed (49%).  (See Table 5).

Additionally, more than a quarter of the Filipino population says it is somewhat important for the Aquino administration to create employment (26%), prepare a program to resolve the country’s fiscal and debt problems (30%), appoint experienced people to key government posts (33%), continue peace negotiations with armed political groups (34%), form a government of national unity (35%), and extend loans to small businesses and the self-employed (39%). In contrast, less than a quarter considers creating new pro-poor programs (22%) and controlling the increases in prices (14%) as somewhat important.  (See Table 5).

Indecision as regards the importance of these national issues is expressed by less than one in ten Filipinos (1% to 8%). Around the same percentages say these issues are somewhat not important/not important at all (0.4% to 5%). (See Table 5).