GUT ISSUES Activists protest rising prices of fuel, which is partly hurting the popularity of the Duterte administration. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
The Duterte administration’s satisfaction rating among upper and middle classes fell sharply from +81 to +47, or a drop of 34 points, and its net satisfaction rating nationwide fell by at least 8 points, according to results of a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
By class, the Duterte administration’s net satisfaction dropped from +81 to +47 among Classes ABC, from +56 to +50 among Class D and from +62 to +49 among Class E, according to results of the survey conducted on Sept. 15-23.
The administration’s satisfaction rating fell across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes but most notably in the Visayas and among the ABC, or middle and upper, classes.
Overall net satisfaction on the performance of the administration dropped 8 points, taking the biggest plunge of 14 points in the Visayas.
Results of the survey found 65 percent of adult Filipinos satisfied with the administration’s work while 15 percent said otherwise, resulting in a +50 net satisfaction rating (satisfied minus dissatisfied).
Contrast
The latest rating was still classified as “very good” but down from +58 (correctly rounded) in June when 72 percent said they were satisfied and 13 percent said they were dissatisfied.
The decline in the latest rating of the Duterte administration was in contrast with the improvement in the President’s net satisfaction rating, which recovered from a low of +45 in June to +54 in September.
SWS also asked respondents if they were satisfied with the Duterte administration’s performance on 14 issues, including inflation, in which the government’s performance was rated a “neutral” +8, the lowest rating on the issues surveyed in September.
A “moderate” rating of +23 was given on the issue of ensuring that no family will ever be hungry.
SWS considered a rating of +70 and above as “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”, +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; and -70 and lower, “execrable.”
By location, net satisfaction with the government fell from +56 to +42 in the Visayas, from +76 to +67 in Mindanao, from +47 to +40 in Metro Manila and from +54 to +48 in Luzon outside Metro Manila.
Other issues
Rated on its performance on other issues, the government scored “very good” net satisfaction on building and maintenance of public works (+66), helping the poor (+63), reconstructing Marawi City (+58), protecting human rights (+54) and fighting terrorism (+53).
It got a “good” rating on fighting crimes (+43), reconciling with communist rebels (+42), reconciling with Muslim rebels (+41), foreign relations (+40), fulfilling commitments in international treaties (+40), defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (+39) and eradicating graft and corruption (+38).
SWS interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide and used a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points. —Inquirer Research