SWS: Leni up; Sereno ratings plummet

Public satisfaction with Vice President Leni Robredo improved in the past three months, according to the latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The third quarter survey of SWS showed 62 percent of Filipinos approved of Robredo’s performance while 21 percent were dissatisfied, resulting in a net satisfaction score of +41, classified as “good.”

This was five points above her June net satisfaction rating of +36 (60 percent satisfied and 24 percent dissatisfied.)

The non-commissioned poll, taken from Sept. 23 to 27, used

face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide.

SWS said Robredo’s net satisfaction rating rose in all areas except Mindanao. It stayed very good in the Visayas, at +60 in September from +53 in June. It also stayed good in balance Luzon, at +42 from +35.

In Metro Manila, it remained moderate at +23 from +20. It stayed good in Mindanao at +31, hardly moving from +32 in June.

Sereno, Alvarez ratings drop

Both Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez suffered significant declines in their net satisfaction ratings in September.

Sereno’s net satisfaction rating, on the other hand, fell by one grade from moderate to neutral, at +9 (35 percent satisfied, 26 percent dissatisfied), down by 12 points from +21 (43 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied) in June.

Sereno is facing an impeachment complaint before the House for alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust and corruption.

The 12-point drop in the Chief Justice’s net satisfaction score was due to declines of 24 points in Mindanao, 21 points in Metro Manila and eight points in balance Luzon. It was a steady score in the Visayas.

Her rating stayed moderate in the Visayas, unchanged at +14 from June. It fell by two grades from good to neutral in Mindanao, at +9 from +33.

It also went down by one grade from moderate to neutral in Metro Manila, at net zero in September, down by 21 points from +21 in June.

It also fell by one grade from moderate to neutral in balance Luzon, at +9 from +17.

Sereno’s spokesperson Josa Deinla attributed the magistrate’s decline in rating to the “incessant attacks and vicious smear campaign” against her.

“For the past months, she has been publicly vilified to justify attempts to unseat her on the basis of unfounded allegations, which are not even impeachable offenses under the Constitution.”

But Deinla gave assurance that despite the decline in her survey results, Sereno would not be sidetracked from continuing her duties.

“As the country’s top magistrate, Chief Justice Sereno will continue to fulfill her duties and constitutional mandate regardless of survey results. She remains confident that when all the facts are presented, the allegations being leveled against her – all being falsehoods – will ultimately crumble,” she added.

In the case of Alvarez, it fell by one grade from moderate to neutral +8 (34 percent satisfied, 24 percent dissatisfied), which according to SWS is a personal record-low.

It was down by eight points from +16 (40 percent satisfied, 25 percent dissatisfied) in June.

It dropped 19 points in Mindanao, five points in Metro Manila and five points in balance Luzon, combined with a steady score in the Visayas.

His net satisfaction rating stayed moderate in the Visayas at +10. It stayed neutral in Metro Manila at -1 from +4. However, it fell by one grade from good to moderate in Mindanao, at +12 from +31.

It likewise fell by one grade from moderate to neutral in balance Luzon at +8 in September, down by five points from +13 in June.

Koko scores up

Meanwhile, Senate Presdent Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III posted a personal record-high in the SWS third quarter survey, obtaining a net satisfaction rating of +46 (60 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied).

His latest net satisfaction score was 13 points higher than his June rating of +33 (53 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied).

Pimentel surpassed his previous personal record of +37 in September 2016.

SWS attributed the 13-point rise in the Senate President’s net satisfaction rating to the doubledigit increases in the Visayas, balance Luzon and Metro Manila, coupled with a seven-point increase in Mindanao.

It rose by one grade from good to very good in the Visayas at +51 from +34.

It stayed good in balance Luzon at +45 from +31 in June. It remained good in Metro Manila at +44 in September, up by 11 points from +33 in June. In Mindanao, it also stayed good at +45 from +37.

Pimentel credited his own favorable ratings “to the cooperation, support and hard work of my fellow senators and the entire Senate and the Commission on Appointments.”

Leni elated

Robredo was elated by the results of latest survey showing an increase in her approval ratings in the third quarter of the year.

But the Vice President said public officials should not be influenced too much by surveys.

“While surveys are important, there are also times when doing the right thing is not equivalent to doing what is popular. That’s why we try not to be ruled by surveys also,” she said in an interview at St. Theresa’s College in Quezon City.

The Vice President believes her office’s anti-poverty program Angat Buhay was behind the rise in her satisfaction ratings. – mean that the person should automatically be forgiven for egregious or criminal behavior,” she added.

Chris Samuels, director of the Sexual Addiction Treatment and Training Institute in New York, explained that sexual misconduct and sex addiction can occur simultaneously, but these are two different issues.

“The perpetrator (of sexual misconduct) is opportunistic, often motivated by power dynamics and often selfjustifying and remorseless,” she said.