Filipinos are losing confidence in President Gloria Arroyo's ability to deal with a looming fiscal crisis in the Philippines, according to an independent poll published Monday.
The March 3-16 Pulse Asia poll of 1,200 adults showed only 21 percent felt the government has succeeded in staving off a fiscal crisis, while 49 percent disagreed and 30 percent were undecided.
The results suggest a "significant degree of public scepticism over the Arroyo administration's earlier public reassurances that it had the fiscal situation well in hand," the Manila-based group outfit said in a statement.
Congress is debating a proposed increase in value added tax (VAT), one of a series of revenue measures proposed by Arroyo last year. However, Congress has so far passed only two bills, including one raising excise taxes on liquor and tobacco products.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said Monday that the VAT bill, which raises the rate to 12 percent from 10 percent, should pass within the month.
Arroyo has warned that the country could be plunged into a fiscal crisis in a few years unless government revenues rise by at least 80 billion pesos (1.46 billion dollars) a year.
Pulse Asia noted that in an October-November survey, 37 percent of respondents had believed in the effectiveness of the government's response to rising debt and falling revenues.
In the latest report, it said 38 percent believed the threat of the fiscal crisis was real, while 31 percent believed the government was merely using it as a "bogeyman" and 31 percent were undecided.
These responses suggest that a sizeable number of Filipinos do not even recognize the gravity of the fiscal problem, Pulse Asia said.
Pulse Asia said 68 percent agreed that they "might support an increase in VAT if the government reduces corrupt and wasteful spending.