SWS: P-Noy satisfaction rating drops

MANILA, Philippines - With a little over two months left before he steps down from office, public satisfaction with President Aquino fell from “good” to “moderate,” according to the first quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The poll, conducted from March 30 to April 2, showed 57 percent of 1,500 adult Filipinos surveyed saying they were satisfied with the President’s performance while 30 percent were dissatisfied and 14 percent undecided on the matter.

Aquino’s latest scores yielded a net satisfaction rating of 27, five points down from 32 (58 percent satisfied, 26 percent dissatisfied) in December last year.

The five-point decline in Aquino’s net satisfaction rating was due to declines of 23 points in Metro Manila, eight points in the Visayas and one point in Mindanao, combined with a steady score in balance Luzon, the SWS said.

His net satisfaction stayed “very good” in the Visayas at 50, although lower than his 58 score in December.

Aquino’s rating remained “good” in Mindanao and steady at 30 as well as “moderate” in balance Luzon, also steady at 23, the pollster said.

Aquino’s net satisfaction in Metro Manila fell to a “neutral” zero from the “moderate” 23 in December 2015 as the number of dissatisfied in the metropolis matched those satisfied.

“This is a new personal record-low for President Aquino in Metro Manila, surpassing the previous record-low of ‘neutral’ six in June 2014,” it said.

In urban areas, his net satisfaction fell six points to 13 from 19 in December.

In rural areas, Aquino’s net satisfaction was steady at 37, the same as last December.

Socioeconomic classes

 Public satisfaction with Aquino among class E respondents stayed “good” at 36, down nine points from December’s similarly “good” 45.

It remained “moderate” among class D respondents at 25 from 28.

Satisfaction with Aquino’s work dropped by 27 points among those in class ABC to a “moderate” 17, from a “good” 44 rating in December.

SWS noted that Aquino’s first quarter net rating was his lowest in a year since March 2015, where he got a “moderate” 11.

The pollster, however, noted that Aquino has fared largely better than his predecessor, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, whose penultimate quarter rating in March 2010 was a “very bad” -53, before improving to a “poor” -17 at the end of her term in June 2010.

The survey had sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for nationwide percentages and plus or minus six percentage points each for Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of at least 70 as “excellent”; 50 to 69 as “very good”; 30 to 49, “good”; 10 to 29, “moderate”; nine to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; as well as -70 and below as “execrable.”

‘Rating still high’

Malacañang yesterday said that while President Aquino’s satisfaction ratings may have dipped a few percentage points, his popularity rating remains high, particularly for an outgoing Chief Executive.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the President has always worked for the welfare and wellbeing of the people, his bosses, regardless of survey ratings.

“He is grateful for the people’s unstinting trust in his leadership,” Coloma said in a statement.

“We believe in the fairness and vision of our people who will certainly opt for continuity of good governance and attainment of inclusive growth when they cast their votes next month,” he said. – With Delon Porcalla