Aquino's popularity declines amid doubt over graft efforts

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's performance ratings have plunged to their lowest ever, two independent pollsters said on Monday, as the perception grows that he is not serious enough about fighting corruption.

The results of the June SWS survey, which were first published in local newspaper BusinessWorld, showed Aquino garnered a net satisfaction rating of +25, a far cry from the +60 he gained in September 2010.

Aquino's net satisfaction rating also fell by 20 points from the +45 he obtained in March this year.

A rating of+25 is classified by SWS as "moderate", +45 is "good", while a rating of +60 is "very good".

The number of respondents who said Aquino will be a successful president also fell to 29 percent, from 40 percent posted in June 2013.

An analyst was quoted by BusinessWorld as saying that the government's economic stimulus package, the Disbursement Acceleration Program, hurt Aquino's approval ratings. The Philippine Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that parts of the DAP are unconstitutional.

The latest SWS survey was conducted from June 27 to 30 and involved a face-to-face interview of 1,200 adults nationwide.

A survey by independent pollster Pulse Asia, taken last month, showed Aquino's approval rating dropped from 70 percent in March to 56 percent. His trust rating also fell from 69 percent to 53 percent in the same period.

"This is the largest decline in both approval and trust, and it's also his lowest performance thus far," Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia research director, said in a television interview.

People were disillusioned by widespread corruption in government, she said, adding that her poll was taken at the same time that the government arrested three senators on plunder charges for alleged misuse of congressional funds.

Tabunda said the survey was largely complete by the time the Supreme Court rejected Aquino's creation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program, which has become the administration's worst crisis in four years.

Edwin Lacierda, the president's spokesman, acknowledged a "dip in enthusiasm" but said he was not alarmed.

"These numbers can be considered par for the course or average for this period," he said. "A healthy majority has expressed trust and confidence in the president."

Since 2010, Aquino has enjoyed high approval and trust ratings of more than 70 percent, rising to 80 percent, his highest, in early 2012.

But his approval could be further undermined as the ramifications of the scandal over the discretionary fund play out.

"The president has to make drastic measures, like displaying impartiality in the corruption cases, meaning he has to crack the whip even on his own allies," said Earl Parreno of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, an independent research group.

"If he continues to protect allies, then it will be hard to stop the skid."

Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 07/15/2014 page11)