Palace: Filipinos still believe in Aquino despite plunging satisfaction rating

Despite incurring the worst satisfaction rating yet under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, Malacañang on Monday said that the results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that the public still believes in the Aquino leadership.

BACKSTORY: SWS: Aquino satisfaction rating hits all-time low

Acknowledging the 16-point drop on the President’s satisfaction rating (from “very good” +63 rating to “good” +47), Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that Aquino’s satisfaction rating in the SWS survey is still higher than the performance approval rating he obtained in the March 2015 Pulse Asia survey which is 38 percent.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

“While there has been a decline in the President’s satisfaction rating (down to 47 per cent from 63 percent), it is evident that a higher number of Filipinos―(50 per cent who oppose his resignation; and 47 per cent who expressed satisfaction)―affirm their belief in his leadership and outnumber those who are dissatisfied (37 percent) or prefer that he resign from office (32 percent),” Coloma said.

He also said that the “high” satisfaction rating from the SWS survey only shows that Filipinos have understood the position of Aquino on the bungled Mamasapano operation which resulted to the death of at least 67 people.

“It is possible that, having gathered more information about current events― and having been able to know and understand better the President’s position on the Mamasapano incident ― the people gave the President a higher satisfaction rating in the SWS survey (47 percent) than the performance approval rating that he obtained in the Pulse Asia survey (38 percent),” he added.

The SWS survey was conducted on March 20 to 23, three weeks earlier than the Pulse Asia survey which was conducted on March 1 to 7.

The Palace has also expressed its desire to win over a sizable segment of the population who said that they are “undecided” on Aquino’s performance and for his resignation, which has reached 16 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

“There is also a significant segment that is undecided about his performance (16 percent) and about his resignation (18 percent). This represents an opportunity for reaching out to those who are undecided or ambivalent in their sentiments towards the President and the administration and eventually winning them over,” Coloma said.

With only 15 months left before Aquino steps down from his post, Coloma vowed that the administration will continue to implement “priority programs such as infrastructure development, employment generation, and poverty reduction and improved social protection.”