Senate's increase in trust rating due to hard work -- senators

Senators today expressed their elation over the latest result of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey which showed that the Senate's trust rating from last quarter increased from 12 percent to 28 percent this month.

Senators attributed the leap in the approval rating to the fact that senators continued to work hard despite the controversies that hounded the Upper Chamber.

"The improving survey rating of the Senate is a reflection of the people's approval of how the senators have been doing their work," Senator Cynthia Villar said.

"We have seen how senators worked hard to pass measures that will improve the lives of the poor. This will surely encourage us to be more productive," Villar added.

For his part, Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV said senators welcomed the increase in the approval rating of the Senate in the recent survey. The only way to get the trust of the people back, according to Aquino, is to continue working hard, create innovative and new solutions to age-old problems and to pass relevant laws and policies that will truly benefit the Filipinos.

"It is likely that people appreciate the pro-people legislation coming out of the Senate. I personally receive a lot of support for the tax measures being pushed. So we must continue to push measures which affect people's lives and touch real issues which our people care about. There is more to do for sure," Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara said.

Senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV said he was glad to learn that the Senate has regained its trust rating. He said the positive rating "can only mean that the investigations have the tacit support of the people."

The SWS survey was conducted amid the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing on the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hall Building 2 and allegations of graft and corruption against Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Last month, Pulse Asia also released results of a similar survey which showed an increase in the Senate's approval rating from 33 percent in June to 40 percent in September.

"I'm glad the Senate improved its rating in the past two surveys," Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee, said.

The SWS survey also showed that House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Senate President Franklin Drilon enjoyed public satisfaction gains. Drilon received the highest gain as his net satisfaction rating rose by 16 points, from 20 percent to a 36 percent while Belmonte's rating increased from "neutral" positive 2 to "moderate" positive 13. (Apple Buenaventura, PRIB)