MEDIARELEASE

(September 15, 2011)

FROM:

Prof. Ronald D. Holmes President Pulse Asia, Inc.

RE:

Pulse Asias August 2011 Nationwide Survey on Presidential Performance and Trust Ratings

Pulse Asia is pleased to share with you some findings on Presidential Performance and Trust Ratings from the August 2011 Ulat ng Bayan national survey. We request you to assist us in informing the public by disseminating this information. The survey fieldwork was conducted from August 20 to September 2, 2011 using face-to-face interviews. Among the developments that dominated the news headlines immediately prior to and during the conduct of the survey interviews are the: (1) second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno S. Aquino III delivered before Congress on 25 July 2011; (2) congressional investigation into the purchase of used helicopters by the Philippine National Police (PNP) back in 2009 and the alleged involvement of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo in the anomalous transaction; (3) medical condition of former President and incumbent Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband; (4) claims made by several witnesses as regards fraud in the 2004 and 2007 elections; (5) talks held by President Aquino with the leadership of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); (6) resignation of former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and the removal from office of Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez; (7) continuing discussions on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill; (8) increase in dengue cases in Metro Manila and other parts of the country; (9) death and destruction caused by typhoon Mina;

(10) evacuation of Filipinos in Syria and Libya; (11) President Aquinos visit to China; and (12) in the economic front, the appreciation of the local currency vis--vis the American dollar, the increase in power rates and the rollback in pump prices. As in our previous surveys, this nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. It has a 3% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the survey (i.e., Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) have a 6% error margin, also at 95% confidence level. Those interested in further technical details concerning the survey's questionnaire and sampling design may request Pulse Asia in writing for fuller details, including copies of the pre-tested questions actually used. Pulse Asias pool of academic fellows takes full responsibility for the design and conduct of the survey, as well as for analyses it makes based on the survey data. In keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced any of these processes. Pulse Asia undertakes Ulat ng Bayan surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort. For any clarification or questions, kindly contact Prof. Ronald D. Holmes, Pulse Asia President at 09189335497 or Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia Chief Research Fellow at 09189436816.

Pulse Asias August 2011 Ulat ng Bayan Survey: Media Release on Presidential Performance and Trust Ratings 15 September 2011

Most Filipinos continue to have a positive assessment of the performance and trustworthiness of President Benigno S. Aquino III Amidst the different problems facing his administration, President Benigno S. Aquino III continues to enjoy big majority approval and trust ratings (77% and 75%, respectively). In contrast, less than one in ten Filipinos disapproves of presidential performance (4%) and distrusts the President (5%). Ambivalence toward the work done by President Aquino in the past three months is expressed by 18% of Filipinos while essentially the same percentage (19%) cannot say if they trust or distrust him. In general, these figures do not vary significantly from the national ratings obtained by the President in Pulse Asias May 2011 survey. While President Aquino's overall approval and trust ratings go up by 6 and 4 percentage points, respectively, between May and August 2011, these changes fall short of being significant given the survey's overall error margin of +/- 3 percentage points. (Please refer to Tables 1, 2A and 2B.) President Aquino records basically the same majority approval and trust ratings across geographic areas (72% to 81% and 73% to 82%, respectively). However, across socioeconomic classes, those in the poorest Class E grant higher approval and trust scores to the President (86% and 82%, respectively) than their counterparts in the best-off Class ABC (68% and 64%, respectively). Single-digit disapproval and distrust ratings are registered across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, with the only exception being the 11% distrust rating given to President Aquino by those in Class ABC. Meanwhile, levels of indecision toward presidential performance and trustworthiness are generally constant across geographic areas and socio-economic groupings. (Please refer to Table 1.) Double-digit gains in President Aquinos approval ratings occur between May and August 2011 in the Visayas (+12 percentage points) and Metro Manila (+15 percentage points). During this period, there is also an improvement in the Presidents trust rating in Metro Manila (+18 percentage points). Conversely, criticism of presidential performance and distrust in President Aquino ease somewhat between May and August 2011 among Metro Manilans (-10 percentage points). The other figures remain practically unchanged during this period. (Please refer to Tables 2A and 2B).

Table 1 PERFORMANCE AND TRUST RATINGS OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

August 20 - September 2, 2011 / Philippines (In Percent) PBSA Performance Ratings Total Philippines Location NCR Balance Luzon Visayas Mindanao Socio-economic Class Class ABC TOTAL D E PBSA Trust Ratings Total Philippines Location NCR Balance Luzon Visayas Mindanao Socio-economic Class Class ABC TOTAL D E Approve 77 72 76 80 81 68 74 86 Big Trust 75 74 73 74 82 64 74 82 Undecided 18 23 19 18 14 25 20 12 Undecided 19 21 21 21 13 25 20 16 Disapprove 4 5 5 2 5 7 5 1 Small / No trust 5 5 6 5 5 11 6 2

Notes: (1) % Approve = % Truly Approve plus % Approve; % Disapprove = % Truly Disapprove plus % Disapprove (2) % Big Trust = % Very Big Trust plus % Big Trust ; % Small Trust = % Small Trust plus Very Small Trust (3) Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding off or to Don't Know and Refuse responses.

Table 2A COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE RATINGS OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

October 2010 to August 2011 / Philippines (In Percent)
Demographic variables

Approve
Oct 10 (A) Mar 11 (B) May 11 (C) Aug 11 (D)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (D - C) Oct 10 (E)

Undecided
Mar 11 (F) May 11 (G) Aug 11 (H)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (H - G) Oct 10 (I)

Disapprove
Mar 11 (J) May 11 (K) Aug 11 (L)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (L - K)

Total Philippines NCR Balance Luzon Visayas Mindanao Class ABC TOTAL D E

79 78 75 86 79 74 77 83

74 66 72 83 78 69 72 80

71 57 73 68 79 63 70 77

77 72 76 80 81 68 74 86

+ 6 +15 + 3 +12 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 9

18 20 22 12 16 21 20 15

18 26 20 13 15 26 19 14

21 28 20 25 15 23 22 18

18 23 19 18 14 25 20 12

- 3 5 1 7 1

3 2 3 2 4 4 3 2

7 9 8 4 7 5 8 6

8 15 7 7 6 14 8 5

4 5 5 2 5 7 5 1

- 4 - 10 - 2 - 5 - 1 - 7 - 3 - 4

+ 2 - 2 - 6

Table 2B COMPARATIVE TRUST RATINGS OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

October 2010 to August 2011 / Philippines (In Percent)
Demographic variables

Trust
Oct 10 (A) Mar 11 (B) May 11 (C) Aug 11 (D)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (D - C) Oct 10 (E)

Undecided
Mar 11 (F) May 11 (G) Aug 11 (H)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (H - G) Oct 10 (I)

Distrust
Mar 11 (J) May 11 (K) Aug 11 (L)

Change*
Aug11 May11 (L - K)

Total Philippines NCR Balance Luzon Visayas Mindanao Class ABC TOTAL D E
Note:

80 75 80 87 80 78 78 85

75 69 71 84 75 71 73 78

71 56 73 70 76 63 69 78

75 74 73 74 82 64 74 82

+ 4 +18 0 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 5 + 4

17 23 18 12 16 21 18 14

20 24 22 13 18 26 20 18

22 29 21 24 17 25 23 17

19 21 21 21 13 25 20 16

- 3 - 8 0 - 3 - 4 0 - 3 - 1

2 2 2 1 4 1 3 1

6 7 6 2 6 2 7 4

7 15 6 6 7 12 8 5

5 5 6 5 5 11 6 2

- 2 - 10 0 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 3

*Change = Figures of August 2011 minus Figures of May 2011.

President Aquino obtains passing marks on selected national issues The President receives virtually the same grades on 11 national issues on which his firstyear performance is evaluated by respondents to Pulse Asias August 2011 survey. On a scale of 0 to 100, with 75 as the passing grade, President Aquinos average or mean grades range from 75 (or barely passing) on poverty reduction to 80 (or good) on delivery of basic services to those in need. On the other hand, the President scores a median1 grade of 80 on virtually all issues on which he is performance-rated. The only exception is the lower median grade of 75 recorded by President Aquino on the issue of poverty reduction. (Please refer to Table 3.)

A median of 80 means that half of the adults gave the President a grade of 80 or lower for that concern while half gave him a grade of 80 or higher.

Table 3 PERFORMANCE RATINGS OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III ON SELECTED NATIONAL CONCERNS
August 20 - September 2, 2011 / Philippines (Row Percent except for mean and median)
GRADE Lowest Completely Failed Pass Good Very Good Perfect (100) Mean Median

Selected National Concerns Management of the economy Strengthening political institutions such as the electoral system and relations between branches of government Increasing peace in the country Ensuring the delivery of basic services such as health, education and low cost housing to Filipinos in need Enforcing the law on influential as well as ordinary people Reducing the poverty of many Filipinos Strengthening the relations of the Philippines with other countries Fighting graft and corruption in government Fighting criminality Stopping the destruction and abuse of our environment Controlling fast population growth

(0 - 24) (25 - 49) (50 - 74) (75 - 79) (80 - 89) (90-99)

1 1

2 2

10 14

21 19

46 47

18 15

3 1

79 78

80 80

0 1

3 2

13 12

21 18

43 43

15 20

4 4

79 80

80 80

13

17

47

17

79

80

1 1

4 2

20 13

26 17

35 45

12 19

2 3

75 79

75 80

1 1 1

3 2 2

12 15 15

17 18 18

38 44 44

23 18 16

6 3 4

79 78 78

80 80 80

17

24

38

14

77

80

Q15. - Anong grado ang ibibigay ninyo sa kanya sa kanyang pagganap ng tungkulin bilang presidente mula 2010 / nakaraang taon hanggang ngayon sa bawat isa sa mga sumusunod na Q25. pambansang isyu? Mangyari lamang na gamitin ninyo ang sistema ng pag-grado mula 0 hanggang 100, kung saan ang 0 ay bagsak na bagsak, ang 75 ay pasang awa, ang 80 ay mahusay, ang 90 ay napakahusay at ang 100 ay perpekto.