Satisfaction with SC, Senate, Cabinet drops in Q1 2018 – SWS

The net satisfaction ratings of the Senate, the Supreme Court (SC), and the Cabinet dropped to a lower  category, with the SC's net satisfaction rating dropping to its lowest in six years, a 2018 First Quarter Social Weather Stations poll found.

The SC's net satisfaction rating dropped 17 points, from 2017's fourth quarter rating of +37 to +20 during 2018's first quarter.

The High Court thus fell to the "moderate" category from the previous "good",  with satisfaction ratings seeing double-digit drops in all areas (21 points in Mindanao, 17 points in Visayas, 17 points in Balance Luzon and 11 points in Metro Manila).

The satisfaction with the SC fell to the  "good" category from "very good"  in Visayas;  fell from "good" to "moderate" in Mindanao and Balance Luzon; and went from "moderate" to "neutral" in Metro Manila.

Less than half or 45 percent of the survey population were satisfied with the Court's performance while 24 percent were dissatisfied.

The satisfaction with the SC was down in rural areas among classes D and E, among both men and women, and in all educational levels.

Among age groups, satisfaction with the SC  fell among 18-24 year-olds, among 35-44 year-olds, and among 55 year-olds and above.

The Court had double-digit drops though classes A,B, and C but managed to stay within the "neutral" category. Satisfaction with the SC also saw a double-digit decline in urban areas, but still classified as "moderate."

Senate

The Senate's satisfaction rating dropped 11 points from "very good" +56 during 2017's fourth quarter to a "good" +45 during 2018's first quarter.

Contributing to the drop was the 26-point decline in Mindanao, the decrease of 18 points in Metro Manila, 6 points in the Visayas, and 2 points in Balance Luzon.

Nevertheless, there were more Filipinos satisfied with the Senate's performance (61 percent) than those who said they were dissatisfied (16 percent).

The Senate's satisfaction rating stayed in "very good" territory in Balance Luzon, in spite of losing 2 points since the +54 in December 2017.

However, the Senate's satisfaction rating moved down a classification in all other areas. It had decreases of 26 points in Mindanao (from a "very good" +67 in December 2017 to a "good" +41 in March 2018); 18 points in Metro Manila (from a "good" +46 in December 2017 to a "moderate" +28 in March 2018); and 6 points in Visayas (from a "very good" +53 in December 2017 to a "good" +47 in March 2018).

The SWS said the downdgrades in the Senate's satisfaction ratings came from "all sociodemographics," falling by one classification in both urban and rural areas.

It fell in all classes except class ABC, among both men and women, all the age groups, and all education levels.

House of Representatives

The satisfaction with the lower chamber, although down by 8 points, stayed within the "good" classification.

The House of Representatives shed eight points due to a 12-point decrease in Mindanao, along with 8 points in Balance Luzon, 6 points in Metro Manila, and 2 points in Visayas.

Fifty-two percent of Filipinos said they were satisfied with the House of representatives while 17 percent were dissatisfied.

The House's satisfaction rate kept a "good" grade in both the Visayas and Balance Luzon, in spite of losing 2 points and and 8 points respectively.

However, it fell in classifications in Mindanao and Metro Manila. A 12-point drop in Mindanao brought the rating from a "very good" +52 in December 2017 to a "good" +40 in March 2018; the 6-point drop in Metro Manila brought the House's satisfaction ratings from a "good" grade of +34 in December 2017 to a "moderate" +28 in March 2018.

The poll found  an "upgrade in the House of Representatives' net satisfaction rating from December 2017 to March 2018 occurred among elementary graduates."

Satisfaction with the House was down among high school graduates. The rate's downgrades were seen among 18-24 year olds, among 35-44 year olds, and among people above 55 years-old.

The SWS also took note of a double-digit decline in the House's satisfaction rating among women during the period.

Cabinet

The performance of President Rodrigo Duterte's Cabinet during the first quarter resulted in net satisfaction ratings which dropped from "good" to "moderate."

From a "record high" +38 in December 2017, net satisfaction with the Cabinet went down by 10 points in March 2018 to +28 - its lowest in almost two years since getting a "moderate" grade of +22 in April 2016.

Decreases that made up the 10-point decline came from all areas: dropping 29 points in Mindanao, seven points in Balance Luzon, two points in Visayas, and a point in Metro Manila.

The Cabinet's satisfaction rating stayed "good" in Metro Manila (+30) and Visayas (+31) in March.

However, it plummeted from "very good" to "moderate" in Mindanao with a 29-point drop from +52 in December 2017 to +23 in March 2018.

The rating in Balance Luzon also went from "good" to "moderate" after going down 7 points from +35 in December.

The Cabinet, nevertheless, enjoyed a double-digit increase in satisfaction ratings among the upper economic classes (ABCs).

Satisfaction was however suffered in rural areas, among classes Ds and Es, both men and women and elementary graduates. It had a double-digit decline among high school graduates.

In terms of age groups, satisfaction with the Cabinet went down among 35-44 year olds, and among 55 year olds and above.

For the first quarter-2018 satisfaction poll was taken from March 23 to 27 using face-to-face interviews. The poll was taken among 1,200 adults nationwide: 300 individuals aged 18 years-old and above from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The poll had sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News