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The most trusted politician of the land is not in
power. The most powerful politician is not trusted by the majority
of the people. It is truly one of the supreme ironies of public
service.
Former senator Loren Legarda is
trusted by 63 percent of the people. It is the highest trust rating
among 25 public figures whose names were submitted to the people if
they are trusted or not.
Among those occupying public
office, the most trusted is Senate President Manuel Villar with 55
percent. He is followed closely by Senate Majority Leader Francis
Pangilinan, with 54 percent; and House Minority Leader Francis
“Chiz” Escudero, with 53 percent.
Since the Pulse Asia survey’s
margin of error is 2.3 percent, all three, Villar, Pangilinan and
Escudero, can confidently claim to be the most trusted elected
public official. All three are seeking election as senator, Villar
and Pangilinan for the second time; Escudero for the first time.
Enjoying the public’s trust is
a valuable asset. People vote for politicians they trust. They want
politicians they don’t trust to be removed from power.
Thus, in Pulse Asia’s April
2007 survey, Legarda, Villar, Escudero and Pangilinan, in that
order, are leading the senatorial race. Pulse Asia says 60.8 percent
of voters would vote for Loren if the elections were held today;
48.9 percent for Villar, 45.3 percent for Escudero, and 44.6 percent
for Pangilinan.
On the other hand, only 25
percent of the people say they trust President Arroyo big; another
41 percent have little or no trust at all; 33 percent cannot make up
their mind whether to trust her or not.
That only one in four trusts the
President is a crucial disadvantage. It means the other three either
don’t believe what she is saying and her claims of economic
achievements, which are considerable, or they are simply
indifferent.
This makes the job of president
frustrating. But then again, Gloria Arroyo has told me more than
once she doesn’t get frustrated. She just plods on, works harder
and places her fate in God.
If the Pulse Asia trend
continues, by 2010 when Arroyo ends her term, Legarda, Villar, and
Chiz are viable candidates to be her successor. Incumbent Sen.
Manuel Roxas enjoys a 52-percent trust rating. That also makes him a
formidable contender. Their biggest opponent will be incumbent
Vice-President Noli de Castro who has a trust rating of only 44
percent.
If trust ratings are convertible
into votes, then Legarda is the frontrunner for president in 2010.
Her 63 percent trust rating is eight percentage points higher than
Villar’s 55 percent, nine points higher than Kiko’s 54 percent,
and 11 points higher than Mar Roxas’s 52 percent. By 2010, a
percentage point is equivalent to half a million votes, assuming a
voter turnout of 40 million voters. All four—Loren, Villar, Kiko
and Mar—can beat Noli for the presidency.
In the Pulse Asia April survey,
the most distrusted public figures are former senator Teresa Aquino
Oreta, 43 percent; Arroyo, 41 percent; former President Fidel V.
Ramos, 41 percent; Armed Forces boss, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, 41
percent; and Comelec Chairman Ben Abalos, 40 percent.
What these figures mean is that
Oreta is sure to lose the senatorial election. Arroyo, Ramos and
Esperon have a lot of making up to do to gain the public’s trust.
And Abalos? I wish I could say there is hope for him. His Comelec,
as a body, is better trusted by the people, 32 percent, than him, 20
percent.
Amazingly, the Comelec, the poll
body, is better trusted than Joe Concepcion’s Namfrel—28 percent
distrust versus the latter’s 24-percent distrust.
People still remember what
Namfrel’s JoeCon did in the last May 2004 elections. He abandoned
the quick count with less than 80 percent of the votes counted,
resulting in massive doubt and confusion as to who really won or
not, especially the presidency and vice presidency. That is not the
way to run a quick count.
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