Philippine president Aquino enjoys highest trust ratings

Quezon City - Less than a month in his new position as president of the Philippines, opinion surveys conducted by the Philippines top polling companies show the newly elected president with the highest approval rating since 1999.

The newly elected president garnered 85% approval rating in the survey conducted by Pulse Asia last July 1-11 with only 2% saying they don't trust the new president. 13% of the respondents were undecided. In an interview with ANC’s Dateline Philippines, SWS President Mahar Mangahas noted Aquino may have gotten the best grade compared to previous leaders.

“I don’t remember anything higher than that. I want to confirm it…but it’s [trust rating] really very, very high…I will have to look at our archives,” he said. He added that the country is probably having a “honeymoon” period with its new chief. Social Weather Station (SWS) is the nation's biggest opinion survey and polling firm. A spokesman of President Aquino, meanwhile, credited Aquino's high trust rating to people's belief in the new President's credibility. Sonny Coloma, the president's communications head, said, "Our people see that he is a leader that speaks the truth. Here is a leader that will not tell lies. Aquino, who is a 50 years old bachelor and the only son of democracy icons Sen. Benigno Aquino and former president Corazon Aquino, was elected overwhelmingly by the people on his platform of graft and corruption-free government. The new president delivered his first state of the nation address Monday at the national legislature building in Quezon City. In his speech, the president said his administration inherited a bankrupt government but promised the people a better life under his administration.