President’s rating plunges to record low in SWS poll

MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino’s net satisfaction rating plunged to a new low in the second quarter with double-digit dips in all geographic areas, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The survey, conducted from June 27 to 30, also found that expectations on his success fell significantly from last year.

Of the 1,200 adult respondents nationwide, 55 percent were satisfied with his performance and 30 percent were dissatisfied, resulting in a net satisfaction rating (satisfied minus dissatisfied) of “moderate” plus 25, down 20 points from last quarter’s “good” plus 45 (66 percent satisfied minus 21 percent dissatisfied).

President Aquino: New low INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The latest score was Aquino’s lowest since his term started in 2010. His previous record low, a “good” plus 42, was seen in May 2012.

SWS noted that the President got a “very good” plus-60 rating three months into his administration and reached the record high of “very good” plus 67 in August 2012. In the 15 quarterly surveys that SWS conducted before June, Aquino’s net scores were under plus 50 only six times, it added.

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

In all geographic areas, net satisfaction ratings of the President hit record lows.

The largest decrease was in Metro Manila, down 27 points from “good” plus 33 to “neutral” plus 6. It remained “good” in the Visayas, but fell 10 points from plus 49 to plus 39. It was downgraded in Mindanao, from “very good” plus 55 to “good” plus 40 and in Luzon areas outside Metro Manila, from “good” plus 41 to “moderate” plus 16.

Net scores dropped in urban areas by 26 points, from “good” plus 41 to “moderate” plus 15. It was still “good” in rural areas but decreased by 14 points from plus 49 to plus 35.

The President’s net rating also dropped in all socioeconomic classes. It was down from “good” plus 45 to “moderate” plus 22 in Class D. The ratings dipped among Classes ABC (from plus 39 to plus 32) and Class E (from plus 44 to plus 31) but was still considered “good.”

Among males, it was down from plus 46 to plus 21 and from plus 43 to plus 28 among females. These scores were downgrades from “good” to “moderate.”

Asked on the opinion on the success or failure of Aquino, 29 percent said he would be successful, 21 percent said unsuccessful, while half of the respondents said it was still too early to tell, resulting in a net expectation score (successful minus unsuccessful) of plus 8, down from plus 27 (40 percent successful minus 13 percent unsuccessful) in June 2013.

The net expectation score also dropped in all areas, by 21 points to minus 7 in Metro Manila, by 24 points to plus 3 in Luzon outside Metro Manila, by 22 points to plus 12 in Visayas and by 8 points to plus 22 in Mindanao. All were record lows for the President except in Mindanao where it was a point above the current record low.

The survey, first published in BusinessWorld, used face-to-face interviews and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.–Inquirer Research

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