MANILA, Philippines – Net public satisfaction in Vice President Leni Robredo jumped by 15 points in March, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Based on the First Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey held from March 28 to 31, 63% of Filipinos are satisfied with Robredo’s performance while 21% are dissatisfied, for a “good” +42 net satisfaction rating – an upgrade from her  “moderate” +27 net rating in December 2018. 

This is the second highest net satisfaction rating of the Vice President after her +49 rating in September 2016.

The SWS said the 15-point climb can be attributed to increases in Robredo’s net satisfaction ratings in Balance Luzon, the  Visayas, and Mindanao.  

Among geographic areas, the Vice President had the biggest net satisfaction rating increase in Balance Luzon, a 26-point jump to a “good” +46 in March from a “moderate” +20.

Her net satisfaction rating was highest in Visayas at a “very good” +65, 17 points higher than her  “good” +48 rating in December 2018, while her rating in Mindanao improved to +33 from +31, both categorized as “good.”

Robredo had a slight decline in her rating in Metro Manila, dipping to a “moderate” +14 in March from a “moderate” +16  in December 2018.

Robredo’s satisfaction ratings rose in all socioeconomic classes, particularly among the well-off class ABC where her ratings rocketed to a “very good” +65 in March, from a “neutral” zero net rating in December 2018.

Among class D, her net satisfaction rating rose to a “good”  +39 in March from a “moderate” +26, while her net rating improved by 4 points among the poorest class E to a “very good” +50 from a “good” +46.

SWS released the results on April 23, which happened to be Robredo’s 54th birthday.

Robredo welcomed her improved ratings, and credited it to her flagship Angat Buhay anti-poverty program which, she said, was apparently leaving its mark on communities around the country. 

“Baka gustong sabihin lang noon, kahit paano nararamdaman iyong ginagawa. Iyong magandang balita naman, parang nagbibigay lang sa amin ng mas malaki pang inspirasyon at pag-asa para lalo pa kaming ganahan na ipagpatuloy iyong aming ginagawa,” she said in a media interview on the sidelines of the Ahon Laylayan Coalition launch in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday.

(Perhaps this means to say that the people are somehow feeling the impact of our work. The good news is that this only gives us more inspiration, hope, and determination to continue what we are doing.)

Sotto maintains high ratings

The SWS survey also showed Senate President Vicente Sotto III maintaining his high ratings in March. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin had slight improvements in their ratings.

Sotto’s net satisfaction rating remained unchanged at a “very good” +61 in March. The SWS said this was due to slight increases in Sotto’s net satisfaction rating  in Mindanao and in Balance Luzon (+63 to +65), combined with a 10-point decline in Metro Manila (+67 to +57), and a steady score in the Visayas (+60). 

Bersamin’s net satisfaction rating slightly improved to a “moderate” +14 in March from a “moderate” +11 in December 2018.

Arroyo continued to have the lowest net satisfaction rating among the 4 officials, though her rating rose by 4 points in March to a “poor” -17 from a “poor” -21.

According to SWS, the small increase in Arroyo’s net rating was due to the 9-point increase in her net rating Mindanao (-22 to -13), 3 points in the Visayas (-15 to -12), and 3 points in Balance Luzon (-17 to -14). Her satisfaction rating in Metro Manila, however, declined by 3 points (-36 to -39). 

The Chief Justice’s net satisfaction ratings increased by 8 points in Balance Luzon (+17 to +25), 7 points in Mindanao (+3 to +10), and 4 points in the Visayas (+12 to +16). But his net satisfaction rating fell by 20 points in Metro Manila to a “poor” -11 from a “neutral” +9.

The SWS uses the terms “excellent” for +70 and above, “very good” for +50 to +69, “good” for +30 to +49, “moderate” for +10 to +29, “neutral” for +9 to -9, “poor” for -10 to -29, “bad” for -30 to -49, “very bad” for -50 to -69, and “execrable” for -70 and below. 

Among the major issues at the time of the survey were the arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa for an anti-dummy case which groups had deemed as “harassment”  by the Duterte administration, the start of the official campaign period for local candidates, and Facebook taking down 200 pages and accounts organized by Duterte’s social media manager in his 2016 campaign. 

The March 2019 Social Weather Survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults  nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Sampling error margins are at ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5% each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao).

The SWS said its  quarterly Social Weather Surveys on public satisfaction with the Vice President, Senate president, Speaker, and Chief Justice are not commissioned. and “are done on SWS’ own initiative and released as a public service.” – Rappler.com