Source: The Daily Tribune
39% SAY RP HEADING WRONG PATH UNDER AQUINO
The controversial survey commissioned by Malacañang but which it denied ever existed showing a huge decline in the net trust rating of President Aquino to an unprecedented low of 35 amid the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and pork barrel controversies showed that respondents believed Aquino himself and his chief ally Senate President Franklin Drilon are liable in the Janet Lim-Napoles racket.
The Tribune obtained copies of the Palace poll, which Aquino and his aides have denied ever having commissioned.
The survey, portions of which were obtained by The Tribune also indicated that predominant of respondents, or 39 percent, believed the country is “going in the wrong direction” against 31 percent who believed that the Aquino administration is leading the country to his mantra of “daang matuwid” or straight path. Llamas’ denial, however, was apparently written by a law firm that also serves as a consultant for the office of Llamas which is the Belmonte, Sison Sawali and Associates counsels and consultants as the denial letter heading stated.
A Tribune source said the survey was leaked by a Palace office worker.
The result of the survey which first appeared in a daily broadsheet showed, among others, President Aquino’s trust rating dropping to a net 35 which was the difference of those expressing much trust of 51 percent and 16 percent of respondents who stated they have little trust on Aquino.
The survey was said to have 1,000 respondents but portions of the survey covering the National Capital Region was obtained by The Tribune covering 300 respondents and stating that it was undertaken from Oct. 8 to 10.
Another highlight of the survey, according to the document, was that corruption was cited by 45 percent of respondents as their most pressing concern surpassing jobs at 28 percent and prices at six percent.
Another highlight of the survey, according to the document, was that corruption was cited by 45 percent of respondents as their most pressing concern surpassing jobs at 28 percent and prices at six percent.
The still unidentified pollster noted that in previous surveys, “corruption was a third or fourth issue” mentioned by respondents.
The survey also showed that Vice President Jejomar Binay’s trust rating dropped “though not as much as PNoy” of from a net 70 to a net 57; Senate President Franklin Drilon’s trust rating was one of the lowest at a net negative 14, and Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad’s are generally not trusted with net ratings of negative 16 and negative 21, respectively.
The survey also showed 49 percent of respondents believed the pork barrel is stolen by politician while 51 percent said this goes to “well-meaning” projects; 46 percent said the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) should be abolished and placed directly in agencies but a substantial 44 percent said it should not be abolished but only reformed; and that medical assistance an scholarships top the list where the pork barrel should be spent on.
A reliable source told the Tribune that the Palace, whether during the time of then President Gloria Arroyo or Aquino’s current time, always commissions surveys on the president and the administration, and are always conducted on a private basis, or for the Palace’s eyes only.
No privately commissioned survey on the president and his administration is made public when the survey findings are negative to the president.
These private surveys are usually done for the Palace people to gauge the real sentiment of the people, as the survey firms, especially under the Aquino administration, tend to provide the Palace results favorable to the president.
The two latest surveys from two polling firms, the SWS and Pulse Asia, released this month, showed great variance in the approval/performance/satisfaction ratings, which were found questionable.
Pulse gave Aquino’s approval rating at 79 percent, a six point increase from his survey rating in June. Pulse’s survey was conducted from Sept. 14 to 27. This was amid the pork barrel scandal and presidential pork.
Compared to Pulse ratings, Aquino’s rating in the Palace survey suffered a 44-percent drop.
It was also a decrease of 14 percent compared to his +49 percent rating in the Sept. 20 to 23 SWS survey, where Aquino dropped 35 percent.
The Malacañang commissioned survey also showed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima got a net 38 rating.
The survey also showed that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. got a zero while Senate President Franklin Drilon obtained a -14 percent approval rating, the Star reportred.
Senators Jinggoy Estrada got -14 percent; Ramon Revilla Jr., -15 percent; and Juan Ponce Enrile, -21 percent. The three are facing plunder charges along with 34 others, in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scandal.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda got -20 percent and -16 percent, respectively.
Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo got -69 percent.
Said Llamas: “I strongly and categorically deny that there was any survey commissioned by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs concerning the President’s approval rating or any other public official for that matter,” according to the law firm letter quoting him.
The denial added: “As far as my office is concerned, the results of the recent surveys conducted by the country’s top two polling opinion bodies are enough to measure the people’s continued trust and support to President Aquino,” Llamas said.
Llamas said in the SWS survey report last Oct. 14, 2013, “the President continues to enjoy positive approval ratings”.
He said that “Mahar Mangahas, SWS chief, had explained it in his recent article, “P-Noy’s rating has never been double-downgraded. None of the previous four presidents were as popular as P-Noy is now at the same stage, or at any later stage, of their terms.”
Llamas added that “the Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan Survey for Sept. 2013 showed that the President’s performance approval rating climbed from 73 to 79, representing a 6-point increase, while his trust rating remains high at 76 percent”.
“I have released this statement in order to address whatever false impression that the said news article might have created,” Llamas said.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. also denied anything about the initiated “internal survey” by Malacañang.
“I have no knowledge of such kind of survey neither I have seen it if there is one,” Coloma said.
Anna Guerra-dela Vega, director, office of the Political Adviser (OPA), said Coloma was right in his statement.
She said OPA had not commissioned any survey whether private or not. Apparently, they were all lying.
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