MANILA, Philippines—Dissatisfaction with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s performance intensified among Filipino adults in Luzon outside Metro Manila, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from June 19 to 22 showed.

Ms Arroyo’s satisfaction rating in the rest of Luzon dropped from 29 percent in February to 23 percent last month. Her dissatisfaction rating was virtually unchanged, from 54 to 55 percent.

All in all, the President’s net rating outside the metropolis on the country’s main island worsened from a “poor” negative 24 (rounded off) to a “bad” negative 32.

The margin of error for the SWS sample of 600 respondents in the balance of Luzon was plus-or-minus 4 percentage points.

Metro Manila remained highly critical of Ms Arroyo’s performance, with 65 percent of respondents dissatisfied and 19 percent satisfied, for a “bad” net rating of negative 46.

She received a similar rating in February (65 percent dissatisfied and 21 percent satisfied or a net rating of negative 44).

However, the President’s nationwide net rating remained stable at a “bad” negative 31 (56 percent dissatisfied and 26 percent satisfied, rounded off), practically the same net rating she got in February—negative 32 (59 percent dissatisfied and 26 percent satisfied, rounded off)—because of her improved ratings in Mindanao and the Visayas.

Performance not popularity

Malacañang shrugged off the SWS survey showing Ms Arroyo’s consistently low popularity rating.

The Palace advised the public to listen to the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) to know more about her accomplishments.

“Mere popularity for the President is not news anymore. We will state this: The President governs for performance and prosperity not for popularity,” Undersecretary Gary Olivar said at a briefing Wednesday.

Olivar, deputy presidential spokesperson on economic matters, said it would be prudent for the public to instead listen to Ms Arroyo’s SONA in a joint session of Congress on July 27.

“We believe the next and last SONA will outline and summarize these substantive achievements that have taken place under her watch and how these achievements have brought us closer to our vision for the country,” he said.

Mindanao, Visayas

In Mindanao, Ms Arroyo went from a “bad” negative 40 (62 percent dissatisfied and 22 percent satisfied) to a “poor” negative 21 (53 percent dissatisfied and 31 percent satisfied, rounded off).

In the Visayas, she went from a “bad” negative 33 (61 percent dissatisfied and 28 percent satisfied) to a “poor” negative 28 (57 percent dissatisfied and 30 percent satisfied, rounded off).

SWS interviewed 300 adults each in Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

These places had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 6 percentage points, while national ratings had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

Negative in all sectors

The President also received negative net ratings in all sectors: 34 in socioeconomic Class D, 28 in class ABC, 22 in Class E, 35 among men and 26 among women.

She got a “bad” negative 37 in urban areas and a “poor” negative 23 in rural areas. Reports from Inquirer Research and TJ Burgonio