Aquino satisfaction rating rebounds

President Benigno Aquino III.      INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

Public satisfaction with the Aquino administration rebounded in the second quarter after plunging to a record low in March, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

Nationwide, 55 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the performance of the administration, while 24 percent were dissatisfied and 20 percent were undecided.

This yielded a net score (satisfied minus dissatisfied) of a “good” +31, 12 percentage points up from the “moderate” +19 (48 percent satisfied minus 29 percent dissatisfied) in the previous quarter.

SWS asked respondents: “In general, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the current administration? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, undecided if satisfied or dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, [or] very dissatisfied?”

Across geographic areas, satisfaction with the administration climbed 21 points in the rest of Luzon (+29 from +8), nine points in the Visayas (+43 from +34) and eight points in Mindanao (+34 from +26). It fell three points in Metro Manila (+18 from +21).

Satisfaction with the Aquino administration also rose among socioeconomic classes, posting double-digit increases among Class ABC (+33 from +19), D (+29 from +18) and E (+38 from +24).

Among 20 issues, restoring peace in Mindanao rose by double digits (+23 from +11), which SWS rated as “moderate.”

Resolving the Maguindanao massacre, though, remained a very sore issue as the administration’s rating remained unchanged at a “very bad” -50.

It scored a “poor” in fighting inflation (-11), ensuring that no family would go hungry (-12) and ensuring that oil firms do not take advantage of oil prices (-17).

On five issues, the administration received a “neutral” rating–in rehabilitating areas damaged by conflict in Mindanao, +5; fighting crime, +5; reconciliation with Communist rebels, +4; eradicating graft and corruption, +1; and reconciliation with Muslim rebels, +1.

The administration received a “moderate” rating for the following: defending the country’s territorial rights, +27; delivering justice, +19; fighting terrorism, +13; and deciding quickly on important issues, +11.

It rated a “good” on six issues: Improving the quality of education, +47; providing electricity, +44; helping the poor, +39; foreign relations, +3, and ensuring that medicines are affordable, +31.

The survey, conducted from June 5 to 8, involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

A rating of +70 and above is “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 below “execrable.”–Inquirer Research