Aquino is only official with majority approval

PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino stood out in the latest performance survey of top national officials as the only leader still with a majority (52 percent) approval rating, although this was down from his 55 percent in the last quarter of 2015.

Other officials garnered below-majority ratings in the Pulse Asia survey last March 12-18: Vice President Jejomar C. Binay and Senate President Franklin M. Drilon, both 46 percent; Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr., 48 percent; and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno, 46 percent.

In terms of trust, President Aquino also got the highest mark, but his 49-percent rating, down from 55 percent last December, failed to reach the majority level. It seems none of the country’s top officials still enjoys the trust of majority of the people.

The positive ratings of the President were obtained before the clash last Friday between farmers and policemen that left two demonstrators dead on the highway in Kidapawan City, the five-hour power blackout at the international airport in Pasay City that stranded thousands and grounded more than 80 flights, and scattered street protests over a variety of gut issues.

Filipinos’ assessment of the performance and trustworthiness of their top officials has changed between January and March, but Pulse Asia noted that such changes are more pronounced in the case of their trust ratings than their performance ratings.

Approval of the President’s performance came from 51 percent of respondents from Luzon, 59 percent from Visayas and 58 percent from Mindanao. For the social classes, 58 percent of Class E and half of the Class D appreciated Aquino’s performance while Classes ABC expressed indecision.

Pulse Asia said that based on a multistage probability sample of 1,800 voters 18 years old and above, its survey has at the 95-percent confidence level a ± 2 percent error margin nationwide, ± 6 percent for Metro Manila, ± 3% for the rest of Luzon, and ± 5% for each of the Visayas and Mindanao.

• Ignore surveys on candidates’ standing

THAT SURVEY did not ask about voters’ preference for candidates for president, vice president and senators, leaving speculation open if the President’s majority approval rating will translate into votes for administration candidates.

But with just one month before the May 9 elections, this corner’s unsolicited advice is for all of us to totally ignore any survey on the candidates’ poll standing.

At this point, this jaded observer believes that all the survey results being offered are either inaccurate or outright propaganda. The likelihood is that most of these reports are commissioned and manufactured for paying customers.

The better thing to do rather than lap up dubious survey results is for voters to study the track record, platform of government, financiers, morality and pronouncements of the candidates and testing them against verified facts.

Surveys cannot be accurate measurements of the eventual standings of the candidates. It could be, for instance, that Mayor Digong Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe may appear to be ahead of the field merely because of media hype.

The reality is that only Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas and VP Binay have the machinery to translate their ratings into actual votes. They have the grassroots leaders who will herd and take good care of the voters on Election Day.

In contrast, Poe and Duterte still have no organizations on the precinct level. They do not even have candidates for governor, congressmen and mayors in many places. The LP standard bearer has the best organized and largest political machinery – and that is crucial.

Roxas’ other advantage is his being the only candidate of the administration. Binay, Poe and Duterte are dividing among themselves the anti-administration votes. Not one of the three is getting enough support to place him beyond the reach of the others.

• Some food stores quietly share leftovers

SOME reactions to our Postscript of March 31 (“Throwing away food in the midst of want”):

Reader Cecille Espiritu <[email protected]>: I would like you to know that I approached Starbucks Cristina in 1999 for a Makati-based ministry to the poor to get their ‘marked-out pastries.’ We do this daily at the end of store hours or before opening. After Cristina, I arranged for Alpap branch and it went on to some other branches in the Makati area. Now, we are doing it for some branches in BGC. Their generosity and the company’s CSR have helped a lot of malnourished children. God bless Starbucks even more. FYI lang po. Thanks. Under His Wings, Cecille.

Reader Bamf H <[email protected]>: A lot of local establishments have been giving excess away for years, before comparing maybe you should get off your high horse and do a little investigating yourself. Charity is just that one does not have to be boastful of it. Research before next time.

Tweeter @leezl_ L: We have the Food Donation law. R.A. 9803. I’ve been badgering DSWD to implement it.

• 3rd Clark Golf Cup winners listed

TOURNAMENT Director Ashley Manabat of the Third Clark Golf Cup held last Friday has announced the winners in the tournament sponsored every summer by the Capampangan in Media Inc. (CAMI) in cooperation with the Clark Development Corp:

Lowest gross champion, Lance Ngo; Lowest net champion, Roger Garcia; Class A champion, Elmer Ngo; Class A runner-up, Ariel Javelosa; Class B champion, Lawrence Ngo; Class B runner-up, Jera Sison; Class C champion, Jess Osmeña; Class C runner-up, Bruce Dresser; Ladies champion, Arline Ward; Ladies runner-up, Wilma Sjoberg; Fu Holes winner Longest Drive, Wilma Sjoberg; Accurate Drive, Elmer Ngo; Nearest to the Pin, Aldrin Galang.

The tournament was held at the posh Royal Garden Golf and Country Club course off the Clark circumferential road in Angeles City. Manabat, CAMI vice president, said the site of the games is rotated among golf courses in the Clark Freeport area.

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