SWS: Aquino’s public satisfaction rating drops from ‘very good’ to ‘good’

MANILA, Philippines—Except among the upper and middle classes (ABC), public satisfaction with the performance of President Aquino dipped across all socioeconomic groups and geographic areas in the last quarter, according to results of a nationwide survey by Social Weather Stations.

Net public satisfaction (satisfied minus dissatisfied) with the President’s performance dropped 9 points from a “very good” rating of 58 (71 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in December to a “good” 49 (68 percent satisfied, 19 percent dissatisfied) in March.

The survey only covers public satisfaction and dissatisfaction and cannot explain specific reasons behind the responses given by respondents, Leo Laroza, survey research and communication specialist at SWS, told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

Laroza noted however that “Mr. Aquino’s net rating was pulled down largely by his net rating in Luzon outside Manila, where he posted a 15-point drop.”

In Luzon outside Metro Manila, the President slipped from a “very good” 60 (72 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in December to a “good” 45 (67 percent satisfied, 21 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in March.

Laroza also noted the President’s net satisfaction rating among the class D or “masa” dropped 12 points from a “very good”  58 (72 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in December to a “good”  46 (67 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in March.

The results of the survey, conducted from March 10 to 13, were first published in BusinessWorld newspaper on Monday. It used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults and had a margin of error of -or-minus 3 percentage points for national percentages and –or-minus 6 percentage points for area percentages.

SWS considers a rating of 70 and above “excellent”; 50 to 69, “very good”; 30 to 49, “good”; 10 to 29, “moderate”; 9 to minus 9, “neutral”; minus 10 to minus 29, “poor”; minus 30 to minus 49, “bad”; minus 50 to minus 69, “very bad”; and minus 70 and below, “execrable.”

This was Mr. Aquino’s second “good” net rating since he assumed office in June 2010, according to SWS data. He got his first “good” net rating of 46 (64 percent satisfied, 18 dissatisfied) in June 2011.

Since he assumed office, the President had posted mostly “very good” net ratings, with 64 (74 percent satisfied, 10 percent dissatisfied) in November 2010 as his record high.

The survey also asked respondents whether they think the President is “serving the interests of the rich, middle class or the poor.” They were allowed to respond with multiple responses.

Among those who said they were satisfied with Mr. Aquino, the largest portion (78 percent) viewed him as serving the poor. This was followed by those who viewed him as serving the middle class (69 percent) and the rich (61 percent).

On the other hand, among those who were dissatisfied with the President’s performance, the bulk (28 percent) said they viewed the President to be serving the rich, followed by those who thought he is serving the middle class (17 percent) and the poor (14 percent).

Mr. Aquino’s net satisfaction rating statistically remained unchanged among class ABC, where it was up by one point from a “very good” 61 (72 percent satisfied, 11 percent dissatisfied) in December to 62 (79 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in March.

Although it fell in the rest of the country, the President’s net satisfaction rating stayed mostly within the “very good” territory.

It dropped by four points among the class E from a “very good” 56 (70 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in December to a still “very good” 52 (68 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied).

In the Visayas, Mr. Aquino’s rating dropped by 9 points from 59 (71 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in December to 50 (67 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) in March.

The President’s ratings also declined in Mindanao and Metro Manila by three and two points, respectively, although these are statistically insignificant considering the survey’s margin of error for area percentages.

In Mindanao, Mr. Aquino’s net satisfaction rating went down from 56 (71 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in December to 53 (69 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in March.

In Metro Manila, it declined from 54 (70 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in the previous quarter to 52 (72 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in March.

Rural net satisfaction was down 12 points from a “very good” 64 in December to a still “very good” 52 in March.

On the other hand, urban satisfaction fell by seven points from a “very good” net rating of 52 to a “good” 45.

Of the respondents, 52 percent said they believed Mr. Aquino favored the middle class, down from the 55 percent recorded when the question was last raised in September 2010.

Meanwhile, those who said the President served the poor sharply declined by 13 points, from 48 percent in the previous survey to 35 percent in March.

Those who said he was serving the rich increased by four points, from 23 percent to 27 percent.

The President’s net rating was higher among those who said he was serving the interests of the poor: he posted a “very good” 64 (78 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied).

Among those who viewed that Mr. Aquino served the middle class, his rating also hit a “very good” 52 (69 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied). Those who said he served the rich gave him a “good” 33 (61 percent satisfied, 28 percent dissatisfied).

SWS data shows a shift of perception in the case of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as she was initially seen as favoring the poor when she assumed office in 2001 but was considered to be favoring the rich by September 2007.

In the past two surveys when the question was raised, Mr. Aquino has been viewed as pro-middle class, while fewer said he was serving the rich. Lawrence de Guzman, Inquirer Research