MEDIA RELEASE (June 24, 2011)
FROM:
Prof. Ronald D. Holmes
President Pulse Asia, Inc.
RE:
Pulse Asia’s May 2011 Nationwide Survey on Dr. Jose Rizal
Pulse Asia is pleased to share with you some findings on Dr. Jose Rizal from the
May 2011 Ulat ng Bayan national survey. We request you to assist us in informing the
public by disseminating this information.
The survey fieldwork was conducted from May 21 to June 4, 2011 using face-toface interviews. The following key developments took place immediately before and
during the conduct of the interviews for this survey: (1) the search for a new Ombudsman
following the resignation of former Ombudsman Merceditas N. Gutierrez on 06 May
2011; (2) the granting of a 22-peso cost of living allowance (COLA) for Metro Manila
workers; (3) the loss of lives and damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Central
Luzon and Bicol due to typhoon Bebeng; (4) the confirmation of several presidential
cabinet appointees, the resignation of Department of Transportation and Communications
(DOTC) Secretary Jose de Jesus and Bureau of Corrections (BOC) Director Ernesto
Diokno, the reported appointment of former Senator Manuel A. Roxas II to the cabinet
and the call for the removal of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Angelito
Alvarez due to his agency’s alleged failure to curb smuggling in the country; (5) the
Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into the special treatment extended by prison
officials to several high-profile inmates; (6) the Sandiganbayan’s decision to approve the
plea bargain agreement between former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)
Comptroller Ret. Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia and government prosecutors and the Aquino
administration’s move to appeal this decision; (7) the resumption of the Senate inquiry
into the alleged corruption in the military following the Sandiganbayan’s decision to
uphold the said plea bargain agreement; (8) the ongoing debates on proposed legislation
regarding reproductive health and divorce; (9) the dispute between the Philippines and
China arising from the latter’s intrusion into Philippine territory and airspace around the
Spratlys; (10) the fishkill in Batangas and Pangasinan resulting in damages amount to P
190 million; and (11) the increase in pump prices, the rollback in LPG prices, the decline
in power charges by the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and the deferment of the
LRT/MRT fare hike.
As in our previous surveys, this nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200
representative adults 18 years old and above. It has a ± 3% error margin at the 95%
confidence level. Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the
survey (i.e., Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) have a ± 6% error
margin, also at 95% confidence level. Those interested in further technical details
concerning the survey's questionnaire and sampling design may request Pulse Asia in
writing for fuller details, including copies of the pre-tested questions actually used.
Pulse Asia’s pool of academic fellows takes full responsibility for the design and
conduct of the survey, as well as for analyses it makes based on the survey data. In
keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan group
influenced any of these processes. Pulse Asia undertakes Ulat ng Bayan surveys on its
own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort.
For any clarification or questions, kindly contact Prof. Ronald D. Holmes, Pulse Asia
President at 09189335497 or Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia Chief Research Fellow
at 09189436816.
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Pulse Asia’s May 2011 Ulat ng Bayan Survey:
Media Release on Dr. Jose Rizal
24 June 2011
Most Filipinos (81.9%) correctly identify Dr. Jose Rizal as the country’s national
hero
In commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, Pulse Asia included a
couple of probes having to do with the country's national hero in its May 2011 Ulat ng
Bayan nationwide survey. When asked to name the country’s national hero, a big
majority of survey respondents (81.9%) cites the name of Dr. Jose Rizal. The Philippine
national hero is correctly identified by overwhelming majorities across geographic areas
(64.6% to 95.7%) and socio-economic groupings (75.6% to 84.6%). The highest level of
public awareness is recorded in Metro Manila (95.7%) while the lowest is registered in
the Visayas (64.6%). (Please refer to Table 1.)
Among the other individuals identified by survey respondents as the Philippine national
hero are Sarangani Representative Manuel “Manny” Pacquiao (2.8%), Andres Bonifacio
(1.9%), former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. (1.7%), President Benigno
“Noynoy” S. Aquino III (1.7%), former President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino (1.0%) and
former President Emilio Aguinaldo (1.0%). In contrast, 3.6% did not respond to the
survey question, 2.4% provided names other than those already mentioned earlier, none
of which reached 1% and 2.1% admitted not knowing the country’s national hero.
(Please refer to Table 1.)
Table 1
NATIONAL HERO OF THE PHILIPPINES
May 21 - June 4, 2011 / Philippines
(In Percent)
To your knowledge, who is the
LOCATION
national hero of the Philippines?
(Base: Total interviews, 100%)
CLASS
RP
NCR
BL
VIS
MIN
ABC
D
E
81.9
95.7
88.8
64.6
76.1
84.6
84.5
75.6
Manuel "Manny" Pacquiao
2.8
0.7
1.5
6.0
3.8
3.3
2.0
4.4
Andres Bonifacio
1.9
2.0
1.7
3.6
0.6
0.5
2.7
0.5
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
1.7
0.7
1.5
2.3
2.0
0.9
1.8
1.7
Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III
1.7
0.0
0.0
5.9
2.1
1.4
1.3
2.6
Corazon "Cory" Aquino
1.0
0.0
0.5
1.5
2.0
0.4
1.0
1.2
Emilio Aguinaldo
1.0
0.3
1.0
1.6
0.7
1.9
0.6
1.4
Others (below 1%)
2.4
0.3
0.7
5.1
4.3
0.9
2.2
3.2
None
3.6
0.3
3.2
5.3
4.9
6.2
2.5
5.4
Don't know
2.1
0.0
1.0
4.1
3.4
0.0
1.4
4.1
Dr. Jose Rizal
Q142. Sa inyong pagkakaalam, sino ang pambansang bayani ng Pilipinas?
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A small majority of Filipinos (51.1%) believes no one compares to Dr. Jose Rizal
A little over half of survey respondents (51.1%) is of the opinion that no individual –
living or deceased – comes close to Dr. Jose Rizal. The view that Dr. Jose Rizal is
incomparable is shared by near to small majorities across geographic areas (45.3% in the
Visayas to 62.7% in Metro Manila) and socio-economic classes (48.1% in Class D to
59.5% in Class ABC). (Please refer to Table 2.)
Around one in ten survey respondents (10.8%) considers former Senator Benigno
“Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. as being comparable to Dr. Jose Rizal. On the other hand, fewer
survey respondents deem the following individuals as being as good as the country’s
national hero – former President Ferdinand E. Marcos (5.4%), Sarangani Representative
Manuel “Manny” Pacquiao (4.8%), former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino (4.0%),
Andres Bonifacio (3.1%) and President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III (3.0%). Other
personalities are cited by less than 1% of survey respondents. Meanwhile, 6.3% are
unable to identify any individual they consider to be comparable to Dr. Jose Rizal.
(Please refer to Table 2.)
Table 2
NATIONAL HERO COMPARABLE TO DR. JOSE RIZAL
May 21 - June 4, 2011 / Philippines
(In Percent)
Whom do you consider a
national hero comparable to
Dr. Jose Rizal, living or deceased?
(Base: Total interviews, 100%)
LOCATION
CLASS
RP
NCR
BL
VIS
MIN
ABC
D
E
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Ferdinand Marcos
Manuel "Manny" Pacquiao
Corazon "Cory" Aquino
Andres Bonifacio
Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III
Joseph "Erap" Estrada
Ramon Magsaysay
Jejomar "Jojo" Binay
Marcos (unspecified)
Francis "Chiz" Escudero
Apolinario Mabini
10.8
5.4
4.8
4.0
3.1
3.0
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.5
12.7
4.7
0.7
1.3
3.3
1.7
0.7
1.3
0.7
0.7
0.0
1.3
10.1
8.6
4.2
3.3
3.2
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.2
1.7
0.5
0.2
11.9
2.0
6.5
3.7
4.7
5.4
0.0
1.0
1.8
0.0
1.2
0.3
10.2
2.5
6.5
7.3
1.2
4.6
1.8
1.6
1.5
0.0
0.9
0.6
16.0
3.3
3.5
0.5
2.8
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.0
2.9
0.0
0.0
12.5
7.0
4.7
4.1
3.5
2.9
0.9
0.9
1.2
0.8
0.5
0.6
5.4
2.5
5.2
5.0
2.3
3.9
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.4
1.2
0.5
Others
Can't say
None
Not aware of Dr. Jose Rizal
6.5
6.3
51.1
0.4
5.3
2.7
62.7
0.3
4.4
8.1
51.7
0.8
8.7
7.5
45.3
0.0
9.1
3.8
48.3
0.0
3.8
3.8
59.5
0.5
6.6
5.6
48.1
0.4
7.1
8.6
54.8
0.4
Q143a. Sino ang matuturing ninyong pambansang bayani na maihahalintulad kay Dr. Jose Rizal buhay man o patay na?
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