Seven out of ten Filipinos gave President Arroyo a failing grade in her anti-corruption efforts, according to the latest survey results of independent think tank IBON foundation released Saturday. 

IBON said 71 percent of 1,488 respondents believed that Mrs., Arroyo failed to combat corruption in the government while 15.5 percent of them gave her a passing grade. The July 2007 IBON survey was conducted nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.

The number of the respondents who gave her a failed mark was slightly lower than the 72.7 percent recorded in July last year but substantially higher than the 61.22 percent recorded in the January 2007 survey, the group added. 

In July of last year, meanwhile, 14, 53 percent believed that Mrs. Arroyo could combat corruption. 

“It is also notable that the percentage of respondents who gave her performance is a higher-than-passing grade fell to 7.7 percent from 9.7 percent in July 2006 and 13.0 percent in January 2007,” it said.