Noy rating slips 13 points – SWS

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino’s satisfaction rating dropped by 13 percent in the past three months, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos are satisfied while 18 percent are dissatisfied with the performance of Aquino, for a net satisfaction score of 51 in March, down by 13 points from 64 in November last year.

The SWS poll, conducted from March 4 to 7, also showed nearly half or 48 percent of Filipinos think it was not a good example for a Philippine president to purchase a luxury car late last year.

Results of the poll, which were published in the newspaper BusinessWorld, showed that the satisfaction ratings of Aquino dropped in all areas except in the Visayas; in all socioeconomic classes and genders.

In Luzon, urban areas, among the ABC class and among males, Aquino’s ratings dropped from “very good” to “good,” the SWS said.

However, in the Visayas it rose to a “very good” +60 from +56 in November.

A “very good” net rating of +53 also came from Mindanao but this was down from +65 previously.

It dropped 21 points to a “good” +48 in the balance of Luzon from a “very good” +69, and by a slightly smaller 18 points to a “good” +41 in Metro Manila from a “very good” +59.

Rural satisfaction went down to a net +55 from +67, both “very good,” while urban satisfaction fell further to a “good” +47 from a “very good” +61 in November.

By socioeconomic class, Aquino’s net rating declined by 26 points to a “good” +49 from an “excellent” +75.

The SWS likewise noted a decline in the President’s net scores among the class D or “masa” and the class E of +51 (from +63) and +50 (from +64), respectively.

Satisfaction among men dropped to a “good” +47 from a “very good” +65, while women gave him a rating of +55 – down from +63.

Almost the same

Meantime, a Palace official believes it was unfair to say that President Aquino’s ratings dropped, in light of the approach made by broadsheet BusinessWorld to subtract the disapproval ratings from the total approval figures, based on the latest SWS survey.

“If you do that, it would seem that there is a big drop, but if you take a look at the absolute numbers – which is what we tend to look at in the Palace – the approval was down by about five percent which was more or less the same as the drop reported in the Pulse Asia,” Secretary Ricky Carandang said.

A February 2010 survey by Pulse Asia, Inc., which was released last week, found Aquino’s performance and trust ratings basically unchanged from October last year. It said 74 percent approved of his performance, down from 79 percent, while his trust rating also slipped to 75 percent from 80 percent.

“So we don’t think it’s as dramatic as initially reported. We do note, however, that the trends were more or less the same. And, as I said, this is natural after the euphoria of an election – the ratings of a leader normally drop at around this time,” he added.

“We note that there is still a significant number of the public that supports the President. But we also, as I said, we will take this as an opportunity to remind ourselves that the public wants to see the results of our reforms sooner rather than later,” Carandang said.

Sign of extravagance

Meanwhile, the SWS survey found a majority of the respondents objecting to Aquino’s purchase of a Porsche: 52 percent in the Visayas, 51 percent in Mindanao and 46 percent in the balance of Luzon.

The President bought a “third-hand” Porsche for P4.5 million, a move critics said was a sign of extravagance and an unnecessary flaunting of wealth amid the massive poverty in the country.

Pluralities of 50 percent and 45 percent, respectively, were also recorded among the masa and the class E. Mixed results were recorded in Metro Manila (44 percent agree, 44 percent disagree and 13 percent undecided) and among the class ABC (48 percent agree, 46 percent disagree, 6 percent undecided).

The SWS classifies net satisfaction scores of +70 and above as “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.”

The SWS used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults. It had sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national and plus or minus six percentage points for area percentages.

Sensitivity

Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said the latest survey showed “that the people expect sensitivity and action from Mr. Aquino to address the dire situation that we are facing.”

She said the people are confronted by rising fuel prices, transport fares, electricity and water rates, and prices of basic commodities.

She said the public is very dissatisfied with the way the President is handling the crisis being faced by overseas Filipino workers. –Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)  with Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero