MANILA, Philippines – In the same week that a survey firm showed record-high satisfaction with the performance of President Benigno Aquino III, another independent pollster said most Filipinos think the Philippines is on the right path.

In the latest Mood of the Nation report released by polling firm Laylo Research Strategies (LRS), 45% of respondents said the country “is headed in the right direction.”

This figure, assessed during the third quarter of 2012, is an improvement from previous quarters. LRS reported that 33% saw the country in the right direction last quarter, and 35% two quarters before that.

Three main factors made respondents think the Philippines is in the right direction, said LRS: 

• less or no incidents of graft and corruption, according to 28%;

• social welfare benefits from the government’s conditional cash transfer program, according to 19%;

• job opportunities for the unemployed, according to 7%.

Those who thought the Philippines is headed in the wrong direction, on the other hand, comprise 29%. These respondents cited the following reasons:

• high prices of commodities, according to 25%;

• persisting corruption, according to 18%;

• unaddressed unemployment, according to 13%.

Meanwhile, 26% remained undecided. (Read the entire survey below.) 

LRS bared the results in the context of prevailing events from August 7 to 17, when the survey was conducted. These include the aftermath of the dismissal of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, public reception toward Aquino’s State of the Nation Address, and government response during the unprecedented flooding caused by monsoon rain.

The polling firm surveyed 1,500 Filipino adults across 77 provinces and 37 highly urbanized cities. When analyzing results at the national level, the survey applies a +/-2.6% margin of error.

LRS sent its report to selected members of the media on Thursday, September 6, a day before the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released another survey indicating positive feedback toward Aquino. In its survey, the SWS reported Aquino’s highest net satisfaction rating since he assumed his post in June 2010.

‘Mood swings’

LRS said the generally positive rating in its latest survey, however, still doesn’t match the “euphoric numbers of November 2010.” It was then that LRS first monitored the “mood of the nation” under Mr Aquino.

A quarter after he won the elections, 70% thought the country was headed in the right direction, according to LRS.

This number dipped every quarter until August this year.

Now, the government’s improvements in ratings should be put to good use, a number of Filipinos said. Rappler readers said Aquino should spend this political capital, in particular, to push for long-delayed measures like the Reproductive Health bill and the Freedom of Information bill.

“Weigh in on the RH bill, Mr President! There’s political capital to spend,” said Rappler reader Andrew Lim.

Another reader, Manny David, said Aquino should use this influence to provide more scholarships for poor students, ban his relatives from elective positions, and get rid of “shooting buddies” (“kabarilan”) to make way for “competent” people. 

Aquino has gotten flak for appointing “KKK” – “Kaklase, Kaibigan, at Kabarilan” (Classmates, Friends, Shooting Buddies) – to crucial government posts. One of them is his long-time friend and shooting buddy, Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno, who is now under fire for allegedly trying to raid the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo’s condominium and offices a day after he died. – Rappler.com