Aquino’s endorsement ‘critical’ in Roxas’ rise in SWS survey–Drilon

President Benigno Aquino III and LP presidential aspirant former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. FILE PHOTOS

Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’ big leap in the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey was a “strong indication” of a continuing upward trend in his electoral strength buoyed by President Benigno Aquino III’s “tuwid na daan” leadership, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Monday.

“The spike in Roxas’ rating shows that President Aquino’s endorsement power remains critical and cannot be ignored. It likewise shows that the public’s appreciation for the administration’s ‘tuwid na daan’ reform policies should not be underestimated,” Drilon said in a statement.

“The rising momentum in the poll ratings of Roxas just shows that more and more Filipinos believe in what President Aquino said: Roxas is the best-suited leader to continue and improve on the achievements already made under the present administration,” he added.

Drilon noted that President Aquino continues to enjoy the highest public approval ratings compared to the preceding Arroyo, Estrada, Ramos, and Cory Aquino administrations, and that his endorsement remains a “pivotal factor in the next presidential elections.”

“In the recent SWS poll, Aquino got a positive 41 net satisfaction rating, which is the highest rating ever received by an incumbent official  who is in his or her final year in office. In the same period during their respective administrations, Arroyo got a negative 38%, Estrada received a positive 19%, while Ramos and Cory Aquino got positive 35% and +10%, respectively,”  he said.

In interpreting the survey, Drilon said, it was very important to look at the trends rather than to look at one survey.

“As I have always said, you have to look at the trend. What is the emerging trend in the last two, three or four surveys,” he said.

Drilon then noted that the SWS September 2015 survey, which shows Roxas taking the biggest and most significant increase by 18 percentage points, showed a continuing upward trend in Roxas’ electoral strength.

Over the last four SWS surveys, he said, Roxas’ ratings showed gradual but steady increases, from 19% in November 2014 to 39% in September 2015.

Drilon previously attributed Roxas’ poor showing in earliest surveys to the latter’s “reluctance” to announce his presidential bid.

But now that Roxas announced his intention to run for president and with the strong backing from Aquino, Drilon said they expect Roxas’ numbers to continue to rise in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Drilon said that the survey was clear that the corruption allegations against Vice President Jejomar Binay, who only came in third, have started to take a toll on his bid for presidency, as shown by the continued decline in his ratings.

The Senate leader also believes that the survey’s margin of error of plus-or-minus three percentage points makes the five percent increase in Poe’s rating — from 42% in June 2015 to 47% in September 2015 —  “insignificant.” JE