MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III saw significant improvement in his trust and approval ratings both at 78 percent, based on the third quarter Pulse Asia survey results released on Wednesday.
The latest Ulat ng Bayan survey found that about eight in 10 Filipinos approve of President Aquino's performance (78 percent) and have trust in him (78 percent) in the past three months.
The survey conducted from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7 among 1,200 respondents showed that the President enjoyed significant gains in his approval and trust ratings, which are higher by 11 and 13 percentage points, respectively from Pulse Asia's second quarter survey results last May.
Only 4 percent of Filipinos disapprove of President Aquino's performance and have distrust in him.
Malacañang was elated by President Aquino's high approval and trust rating.
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the all-time high approval rating of the President affirmed the "overwhelming support" for the Aquino administration and its relentless reform agenda.
The Palace also expressed optimism that the President's high trust and approval rating would be a big help in the campaign of the Liberal Party (LP)'s senatorial lineup for the 2013 midterm elections.
Pulse Asia also noted that the percentage of Filipinos who were undecided on whether they have trust or distrust in the President was lower by 7 percentage points previously.
It also pointed out that President Aquino's approval and trust ratings were almost the same as his first presidential ratings in October 2010 at 79 and 80 percent, respectively.
On the President's approval and trust ratings in geographic areas National Capital Region, rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, President Aquino registered high ratings at 75 to 80 percent and 71 to 80 percent, respectively.
Relatively higher approval and trust ratings were also noted in the poorest Class E than among the upper to middle Class ABC at 83 percent against 72 percent, and 86 percent against 77 percent, respectively.
The results showed that between May and September, President Aquino enjoys double-digit gains in his approval ratings in almost all geographic areas (+11 to +18 percentage points) and every socio-economic grouping ABC, D, and E (+10 to +14 percentage points).
The President's trust ratings also rose by similar margins in practically all geographic areas (+12 to +16 percentage points) and socio-economic classes (+20 percentage points), except for the rest of Luzon (for approval and trust scores) and Class D (for trust rating).
In the August 2012 survey earlier released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), President Aquino registered an all-time high net satisfaction rating of +67 (77 percent satisfied and 10 percent dissatisfied). -with reports from Genalyn D. Kabiling and Madel R. Sabater
