Senate gets highest satisfaction rating in nearly 7 years

MANILA, Philippines – A majority of Filipinos expressed satisfaction with the work of the Senate in the last quarter of 2018, according to the results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey held in December 2018, but released over a month later on Friday, January 25.

The SWS survey, conducted from December 16 to 19, 2018, showed that 71% of Filipinos are satisfied with the work of the Senate, while 13% are dissatisfied for a “very good” +58 net rating.

The Senate’s December 2018 satisfaction rating is 10 points and one grade higher than in September 2018, and the highest since its very good +67 net satisfaction rating in August 2012.

The SWS said the 10-point jump in the net rating of the Senate “was due to increases in all areas, especially in Metro Manila,” where the Senate’s rating rose by one grade to a very good +57 from a good +34, a 23-point increase.

Prior to the survey period, the Senate held probes into the influx of foreign workers in the Philippines, and the P11-billion missing shabu controversy where Senate blue ribbon committee chair Richard Gordon cleared Isidro Lapeña of any criminal liability.

The Senate also conducted hearings into the choice of the third major player in the telecommunications industry – Mislatel, a joint venture between Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation and China Telecom.

The Senate’s net rating also increased from good to very good in the Visayas – a 13-point hike to +61 in December – and stayed very good in Mindanao at +60 from +51, and in Balance Luzon where it increased by 6 points to +56 in December.

Higher ratings for House, SC, Cabinet

The net satisfaction ratings of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, and the Cabinet all increased in December 2018, but remained in the same grade.

The House got a good +40 net rating, up 4 points from +36 in September 2018, and its highest since its +42 net rating in June 2016.

The High Court got a good +37, up 6 points from +31; while the Cabinet got a good +35, up 3 points from +32.

The SWS terminology for net satisfaction ratings are as follows: +70 and above, “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”; -70 and below, “execrable.” 

During the survey period and between the September and December polls, among the major developments were Congress’ approval of President Rodrigo Duterte’s 3rd request for martial law extension in Mindanao and the appointment of new Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

The December 2018 SWS survey was conducted among 1,440 adults nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. SWS said the surveys have sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5% each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

SWS said its quarterly surveys on public satisfaction with top government institutions are not commissioned, and are done on its own initiative and released as a public service. – Rappler.com