Despite the recent controversies hounding his six-month-old administration, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III continues to enjoy high approval ratings, a new survey by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed. The results of the November 27-30 survey, published in SWSâ media partner BusinessWorld, showed that 74% of respondents were satisfied with Aquinoâs performance against the 10% who said otherwise, for a net satisfaction score of +64. The SWS described the score as âvery good," similar to the +60 mark Aquino received in September when he was first rated as president. In its survey, the SWS noted Aquinoâs four-point rise in net satisfaction rating showed that he was âhaving a normal honeymoon period," as did his predecessors who all saw improvements from their first scores. Under the SWSâ rating system, scores of:
+70 and above are âexcellent;" +50 to +69 âvery good;" +30 to +49 âgood;" +10 to +29 âmoderate;" +9 to -9 âneutral;" -10 to -29 âpoor;" -30 to -49 âbad;" -50 to -69 âvery bad,"and -70 and below are âexecrable." Ratings up except in NCR According to SWS, Aquinoâs ratings rose across most geographical areas except in Metro Manila. The results showed that: Mindanao ratings rose the highest by 13 points to +65 (74% satisfied, 9% dissatisfied); âBalance Luzon" ratings came in second with +69 (77% satisfied, 8% dissatisfied) from +65, and the Visayas came in third at +56 (71% satisfied, 15% dissatisfied) from +54. However, Aquinoâs rating dropped seven points to +59 (72% satisfied, 13% dissatisfied) in Metro Manila. The respondents in the rural areas gave Aquino a net satisfaction rating of +67 (76% satisfied, 8% dissatisfied), nine points up from +58 in September. However, his score in the urban areas barely moved at +61 (73% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied) from +62. By socioeconomic class, Aquinoâs score was: an âexcellent" +75 (82% satisfied, 7% dissatisfied) from a âgood" +49 among those from the class ABC; a âvery good" +63 (74% satisfied, 11% dissatisfied) from +59 among class D or âmasa," and stayed at a âvery good" +65 (74% satisfied, 9% dissatisfied) in class E. By gender, Aquinoâs net satisfaction rating was: âvery good" among men at +65 (76% satisfied, 10% dissatisfied), and +63 (73% satisfied, 10 dissatisfied) for women. The SWS survey polled 1,200 adults nationwide via face-to-face interviews. The sampling error margins are +/-3% for national and +/-6% for area percentages. Cory recorded biggest increase Aquinoâs late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, recorded the biggest ratings increase of 19 points, from +53 in March 1986 to +72 in October of the same year. Her successor, former President Fidel Ramos' ratings rose three points from +66 in September 1992 to +69 in July 1993. Former President Joseph Estrada's improved seven points from +60 in September 1998 to +67 in March 1999. Meanwhile, former President Gloria Arroyo's ratings picked up six points from +24 in March 2001 to +30 in March 2004. â VVP, GMANews.TV