Marcos approval and trust ratings dip in poll

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s performance and trust ratings dropped in the latest Pulse Asia Research, Inc. poll, released as he completes his second year in office.

His approval rating fell by two points to 53% in June from 55% in March, while his trust rating dipped by 5 points to 52%, the pollster said in a statement on Wednesday.

The biggest drop in his approval rating was seen in Luzon areas outside Metro Manila, with a 9-point decline to 57%. His rating in Mindanao also fell by two points to 38%.

But his rating rose by 14 points in Metro Manila to 61%, and by two points in the Visayas to 56%.

The President’s approval rating dropped by 13 points among Class ABC to 49%, and by 3 points to 53% among Class D. He got a 4-point increase among Class E to 52%.

Meanwhile, his trust ratings fell by 9 points to 58% in Luzon areas outside Metro Manila, and by 3 points to 35% in Mindanao. He kept his score at 54% in the Visayas and increased it by 4 points to 59% in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Pulse Asia said an important development during the June poll was Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s resignation from the Marcos Cabinet.

Another was the June 17 standoff at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea in which Chinese forces used bladed weapons against Philippine forces trying to resupply Manila’s Navy outpost there.

Also a major issue during the poll period was Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero’s takeover of the Senate leadership.

Citing a June poll, Pulse Asia said last week that inflation was still the top concern of most Filipinos. It was followed by wages at 44%, poverty at 32%, jobs at 30% and corruption at 22%.

Inflation slowed to 3.7% in June, from 3.9% in May and 5.4% a year ago.

Meanwhile, the Pulse Asia poll showed that the Vice-President’s approval rating increased by two points to 69%, while her trust rating was unchanged at 71%.

Her approval ratings rose by 16, 12, and three points in the Visayas, Metro Manila and Mindanao. For the rest of Luzon, her approval and trust ratings fell by seven points and six points, respectively.

Her trust ratings increased in NCR and the Visayas and unchanged in Mindanao. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza