Loren emerges most trusted anew in Pulse Asia survey

Public trust is earned not demanded, Senator Loren Legarda said yesterday as she emerged for the nth time as the most trustworthy Filipino public figure in Pulse Asia's Ulat ng Bayan for March 2008.

"I am honored and humbled, and I take this as an affirmation from our people for me to continue pursuing my advocacies in and out of the Senate," said Legarda, who got a trust rating of 76 percent in the nationwide survey conducted from Feb. 21 to March 8.

Since topping the 1998 senatorial elections, Legarda has consistently topped non-commissioned awareness and trust ratings surveys of such independent pollsters as Pulse Asia, Social Weather Station and Ibon Facts and Figures.

She also topped surveys leading to the 2007 senatorial elections en route to emerging anew as the No. 1-elected senator of the land, a feat achieved only by her and by former Senate President and constitutionalist Jovito Salonga.

"To be trusted by the people is the ultimate accolade a public servant can ever hope for. This because trust speaks volume about the integrity and honesty of the trusted person," Legarda pointed out.

"No elected or even appointive government official can carry on with his or her responsibilities if he or she had lost the trust of the people. More so if trust was non-existent in the first place like when one benefited from electoral fraud to assume a public office."

While Legarda received the nod of 76 percent of the respondents, President Arroyo was trusted only by 19 percent while Vice President Noli de Castro was trusted by less than half of those surveyed with his 49 percent.

Following Legarda were Sens. Francis Escudero (74%), Mar Roxas (67%), Panfilo Lacson (61%), Manny Villar (58%), De Castro (49%), former President Joseph Estrada (47%), Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay (43%), Rodolfo Lozada (42%), and father and son Rep. Jose and Joey de Venecia.

Pulse Asia conducted the survey based on a multistage probability sample of 1,200 representative adults. Taken at the height of the national broadband network (NBN) controversy, the survey had a margin of error of plus-minus 3% at the 95% confidence level.

"While this survey was being conducted, among the developments which dominated news headlines were those concerning the continuing Senate investigation into the ZTE-NBN issues, the various protest actions calling for the President to step down from office, the divided stance of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines on the issue of presidential resignation..." said Pulse Asia.

Legarda said that outing the truth so pertinent laws can be crafted by the Senate is the ultimate goal of the Senate NBN probe.

"I speak for myself that not a trace of politics or partisanship had marred my pursuit of the truth on the NBN scandal. This can be seen from my questions and comments. I am happy that the people had shown their appreciation by giving me their full confidence."

Aside from the trust survey, Legarda also topped the approval ratings for senators, with 79 percent of the survey respondents being "most appreciative of the work done" by Legarda.

In the same survey, almost nine in 10 Filipinos (87%) reported awareness of the ZTE-NBN issue.