Go, Poe get 'high trust' in lobbying firm's survey; Revilla has least


Lobbying and campaigns firm Publicus Asia has said that Senators Christopher "Bong" Go and Grace Poe got the highest "trust rating" among 23 members of the Senate in a survey conducted this month.

Senate of the Philippines (Senate PRIB)

Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, meanwhile, was ranked lowest in trustworthiness.

In its 2021 Pahayag Second Quarter survey conducted from July 13 to 19 among 1,500 respondents nationwide, Go topped Publicus Asia's list with a "high trust rating" of 35.67 and a "low trust rating" of 35.87.

The rankings were apparently based only on the "high trust rating" received by the lawmakers.

Respondents were asked to rate the "overall trustworthiness" of 23 senators over the past 12 months, excluding Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who was part of separate survey on the highest officials of the country.

A quick review of the survey results from Publicus Asia's website showed that "high trust rating" was obtained by adding the percentage of those who gave "high trust" and "very high trust" ratings.

The "low trust rating", on the other hand, was the sum of those who rated lawmakers with "no trust" and "low trust".

Go, for instance, was given a "high trust" by 22.933 percent, and a "very high trust" 12.733 percent. Some 16.333 percent rated him with a "low trust"; while 19.533 percent said they don't trust the former special assistant to the President.

Publicus Asia's survey on the 'trustworthiness' of 23 senators (Photo from Publicus Asia's website)

Of the respondents, 27.53 percent gave Go a "moderate trust" rating, while 0.93 percent said they were "not aware or not know enough to rate" the neophyte lawmaker.

Publicus Asia failed to include these two ratings in ranking the senators.

Still based on the "high trust rating", Poe was ranked second. Her high trust ratings totalled to 35.4, while her low trust rating was 25.73.

Third was Sen. Imee Marcos, whose low trust rating of 33.07 was more than her high trust rating of 30.93.

In fourth place was Sen. Richard Gordon, who got a high rating of 29.6 and a low rating of 26.07. Senator Joel Villanueva follows at fifth place with a high rating of 28.4 and a low rating of 24.47.

In sixth to 10th places were: Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri (high 27.87, low 23.8); Sen. Panfilo Lacson (26.93,29.07); Sen. Pia Cayetano (26.6,27.27); Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (25.4, 26.33); and Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao (24.53, 38.6).

Publicus Asia's survey on the 'trustworthiness' of 23 senators (Photo from Publicus Asia's website)

In 11th to 15th places, meanwhile, were: Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa with a high rating of 24.47 and low rating of 43.4; Sen. Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara (22.13, 23.67); Sen Risa Hontiveros (21.47, 40. 93); Sen. Francis Pangilinan (21.47, 40.87); and Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto (21.4, 34.2).

The survey also ranked Senator Francis Tolentino at 16th place (20.6, 32.4); followed by Sen. Cynthia Villar (19.67, 46.27), then Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon (18.8, 43.67), Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III (18.8, 37.8) and Senator Nancy Binay (16.8, 36.27).

Supposedly lagging behind were Senators Lito Lapid, who got a total "high trust rating" of 15.13, and "low trust rating" of 46.4; and Senator Leila de Lima, who received only a "high trust rating" of 8.8, and a significantly high "low trust rating" of 71.

Despite getting a lower "low trust rating" of 66.67 against De Lima, Revilla was in 23rd place, with a "high trust rating" of only 8.53.

Publicus Asia said the survey was "independent and non-commissioned".