MANILA, Philippines – The net satisfaction ratings of Vice President Leni Robredo and then-speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo both dropped in June, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The 2nd Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey, released on Tuesday, July 23, showed Robredo’s net satisfaction rating fell by 14 points from a good +42 in March to a moderate +28 in June. 

This was primarily caused by the double-digit decline in Robredo’s ratings in 3 major areas. She saw her biggest drop in the Visayas, down by 21 points from +65 in March to +44 in June.  

In Mindanao, Robredo’s net satisfaction rating decreased by 18 points to +15 in June. 

In Balance Luzon, her rating of +46 in March went down to +33 in June. 

Robredo’s net satisfaction rating in Metro Manila, however, stayed at a moderate +14.  

In late May, Robredo and the opposition Liberal Party (LP) were accused by Peter Joemel Advincula – more popularly known as Bikoy of the controversial Ang Totoong Narcolist videos – of allegedly plotting to oust hugely popular President Rodrigo Duterte. The Vice President, chair of the once-ruling LP – denied this claim.

The SWS figures are in contrast to Robredo’s approval rating recorded by Pulse Asia in the same areas in June. Robredo’s approval rating went up in Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao – where her increase was the highest. But her approval rating decreased in Metro Manila.

‘Poor’ rating for Arroyo 

Arroyo, meanwhile, ended her term as Pampanga 2nd District representative and leader of the House in June with a poor -20 net satisfaction rating, a decrease of 3 points from her rating in March.

Arroyo’s 3-point decline was caused by a decrease of 7 points in Balance Luzon and 4 points in Metro Manila, offset by increases of 3 points in the Visayas and 1 point in Mindanao.

Arroyo’s net satisfaction rating in Balance Luzon was at -21 in June, down from -14 in March. In Metro Manila, her net satisfaction rating stayed from a bad -39 in March to a bad -43 in June.

Her rating improved from poor -12 in March to neutral -9 in June in the Visayas, while her rating in Mindanao stayed poor, a slight increase to -12 in June from -13 in March.

After the end of her term as congresswoman in June, Arroyo said she plans to become a consultant for the Pampanga provincial government, where her close friend Lilia Pineda is vice governor and the latter’s son Dennis is governor.  

In the last few months of her speakership, Arroyo went on what she called a “sentimental journey” to areas around the country that benefited from projects pursued during her 9-year presidency.

Sotto stays ‘very good,’ Bersamin still ‘moderate’

In the same survey, Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s net satisfaction rating stayed very good, with a slight decrease from +61 in March to +60 in June. 

SWS said the one-point decline in Sotto’s overall net satisfaction rating was due to decreases of 8 points in Mindanao and 5 points in Balance Luzon, combined with an 11-point increase in Metro Manila and 3-point increase in the Visayas.

Sotto scored the highest in Metro Manila at very good +68 in June, an improvement from his very good +57 rating in March.

In the Visayas, Sotto’s net satisfaction rating rose from +60 in March to +63 in June, while his numbers in Mindanao went down from +58 in March to +50 in June. 

The Senate President also saw a 5-point decline in his net satisfaction rating in Balance Luzon, from +65 in March to +60 in June. 

The net satisfaction rating of Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin also stayed moderate. From +14 in March, his net satisfaction rating was at +13 in June. 

Bersamin’s net satisfaction in Metro Manila improved from poor -11 in March to moderate +13 in June, while his rating in the Visayas rose to moderate +16 in March to moderate +21 in June.

His net satisfaction rating stayed moderate in Balance Luzon, even if it decreased from +25 in March to +14 in June. 

In Mindanao, however, Bersamin’s net satisfaction rating fell from moderate +10 in March to neutral +6 in June.

SWS conducted the survey from June 22 to 26 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults. – Rappler.com