Supreme Court rating plummets to lowest in 6 years – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Amid a quo warranto case initiated against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the Supreme Court (SC)’s net satisfaction rating plunged 17 points in the first quarter of 2018 in a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

It was the high tribunal’s lowest rating in six years since a moderate +13 in May 2012, according to SWS.

The Senate and House of Representatives also suffered significant drops in their satisfaction ratings.

The SC’s rating fell by one grade from good to moderate at +20 (45 percent satisfied and 24 percent dissatisfied) in March 2018, down by 17 points from +37 in December 2017.

Its net satisfaction rating fell by one grade from very good to good in the Visayas, at +33 from +50 in the previous quarter. In Mindanao, the rating dropped by one grade from good to moderate at +20 in March, down by 21 points from +41 in December.

Ratings also fell by one grade from good to moderate in balance Luzon at +19 in March, down 17 points from +35 in December 2017.

In Metro Manila, ratings slid by one grade from moderate to neutral in at +6, down by 11 points from +17.

Downgrades in the SC’s net satisfaction between December 2017 and March 2018 occurred in rural areas, among classes D and E, among both men and women, 18-24 year olds, 35-44 year olds and 55 year olds and above and in all educational levels, the pollster said.

Meanwhile, the Senate’s net satisfaction rating also fell from “very good” to “good” in the first quarter of the year.

The survey found 61 percent satisfied and 16 percent dissatisfied with the performance of the Senate, resulting in a net satisfaction score of +45. This was down by 11 points from +56 in December 2017 and the lowest since a grade of a good +41 in April 2016.

The Senate’s net satisfaction rating stayed very good in Luzon at +52 in March 2018, two points below its +54 rating in December 2017.

However, it fell by one grade from very good to good in Mindanao at +41 in March, down by 26 points from +67 in the previous quarter.

It also dropped by one grade from very good to good in the Visayas at +47 in March 2018, down by six points from +53 in December.

Ratings also fell by one grade from good to moderate in Metro Manila at +28, down by 18 points from +46.

The Senate’s net satisfaction rating dropped in all classes, except class ABCs, SWS said.

The House of Representatives also suffered an eight-point decline in its net satisfaction score in the first three months of 2018.

The House registered a net satisfaction rating of +35 (52 percent satisfied and 17 percent dissatisfied). It stayed good in the Visayas at +39, although two points below December’s +41.

Ratings also remained good in balance Luzon at +34 in March despite dropping by eight points from +42.

It fell by one grade from very good to good in Mindanao at +40, down 12 points from +52 in December.

The Cabinet’s net satisfaction rating fell by one grade to moderate +28, the lowest in almost two years since the moderate +22 in April 2016.

The net satisfaction rating of the Cabinet stayed good in Metro Manila at +30 in March 2018, hardly moving from +31 in December 2017.

It also stayed good in the Visayas, at +31, two points below +32 in December.

But it fell by two grades from very good to moderate in Mindanao at +23, down by 29 points from +52 previously and down one grade from good to moderate in balance Luzon, at +28 from +35.

The poll was conducted from March 23 to 27, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.