Pulse Asia, an independent pollster, said 51 percent of 1,200 respondents disapproved of Arroyo’s performance in the Feb. 21-March 8 urvey, compared with 39 percent in October.

Arroyo’s approval ratings plunged to 23 percent from 30 percent in October, the pollster said. The survey has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Almost nine in 10 Filipinos — or 87 percent of those polled — said they were aware of allegations of corruption surrounding an aborted US$330 million (euro214 million) telecommunications deal that has been the subject of a Senate investigation.

Witnesses have testified that Arroyo’s husband and a former elections chief allegedly benefited from huge kickbacks linked to the deal. Both men have denied the accusations. One witness also linked Arroyo to the scandal but offered no evidence.

Pulse Asia skaid the survey was conducted at the same time as protests by tens of thousands of people calling for her resignation over the scandal.

Arroyo, who still enjoys the support of the powerful military and some influential Roman Catholic bishops, has vowed to fight corruption and finish her term, which ends in 2010.

In her seven years in power, she has survived four attempted power grabs and three opposition impeachment bids over alleged corruption and vote-rigging.

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