Gov’t can learn from survey findings

“POLL shows high satisfaction on Digong,” one report said last week. “Satisfaction with gov’t dipped,” said another. Both reports were on the same survey results, but where one stressed the positive, the other saw more of the negative. The truth, of course, is that the survey held by the Social Weather Stations last December 3-6, 2016, had both positive and both angles. The changes bared by the survey are as yet not too significant, but they give us cause to look forward to the coming surveys.

The survey simply said that last December 3-6, with a sample of 1,500 respondents (hopefully representative of this nation of 100 million), 73 percent expressed satisfaction with the new administration; 12 percent were dissatisfied; while 15 percent were undecided. The net satisfaction rating was +61 (73 percent satisfied minus 12 percent dissatisfied). The SWS considers a +61 rating ”very good.”

Three months earlier, on its September survey, SWS found 75 percent satisfied and 8 percent dissatisfied, for a net rating of +66. This means that between September and December, public satisfaction with the government dropped by five points – from +66 to +61.

This is not a big drop – public satisfaction remains “very good.” But it is still a drop and the people now running the government should try to see where some dissatisfaction has developed and act accordingly.

The survey in December listed some areas in which the respondents gave the government higher ratings than in September. Among these areas were in fighting crimes, fighting terrorism, fighting graft and corruption, and reconciling with Muslim and Communist rebels. The administration is seen as doing well in these areas.

The administration was not appreciated as well in some other areas, especially the following: ensuring an efficient transport system, foreign relations, providing jobs, helping the poor, and defending territorial rights. Extra efforts in these areas would be appreciated by the people.

Opinion surveys are useful tools in democratic governance. They are a way through which the people tell the government what they think about prevailing situations. The government would do well to pay close attention and be guided by them as it carries out its various programs for the nation.