SWS: Most Pinoys not happy with PNoy's Porsche purchase

No thanks to controversies such as his purchase of a luxury vehicle, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's satisfaction ratings have taken a dip, according to a new survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS). According to the SWS survey, nearly half or 48 percent said Aquino's purchase of a Porsche sports car last year was not a good example for the chief executive of a country like the Philippines. This was despite Aquino's claims the car was not brand new and that he had used his own money to buy it. The SWS survey said that while most Filipinos approve of Aquino, his net satisfaction rating is down 13 points to +51 (69% satisfied minus the 18% dissatisfied) from November’s +64 (74% satisfied, 10% dissatisfied). The results of the survey, conducted March 4 to 7, were published Monday on SWS' media partner BusinessWorld. Last week, pollster Pulse Asia said a survey it conducted Feb. 24 to March 6 showed Aquino's ratings drop slightly to 74 percent from 79 percent Oct. 20 to 29. The survey showed Aquino's scores in all areas but one, socioeconomic classes and gender were down from November last year. In Luzon, urban areas, among the ABC class and among males, Aquino particularly saw his net ratings dip to "good" from "very good." His sole gain was in the Visayas to a "very good" +60 from +56 in November, the survey said. A "very good" net rating of +53 also came from Mindanao but this was down from +65 previously. It dropped 21 points to a "good" +48 in the Balance of Luzon from a "very good" +69, and by a slightly smaller 18 points to a "good" +41 in Metro Manila from a "very good" +59. Rural satisfaction dipped to a net +55 from +67, both "very good," while urban satisfaction fell further to a "good" +47 from a "very good" +61 in November. By socioeconomic class, Aquino’s net rating fell by 26 points to a "good" +49 from an "excellent" +75. Less substantial drops among the class D or masa and the class E allowed the president to maintain "very good" ratings of +51 (from +63) and +50 (from +64), respectively. Satisfaction among men dropped to a "good" +47 from a "very good" +65, the survey said. The SWS survey also showed women were apparently more forgiving as their rating of +55, down from +63, kept Aquino’s net score in "very good" territory. SWS classifies net satisfaction scores of +70 and above as "excellent"; +50 to +69, "very good"; +30 to +49, "good"’ +10 to +29, "moderate"; +9 to -9, "neutral"; -10 to -29, "poor"; -30 to -49, "bad"; -50 to -69, "very bad"; and -70 and below "execrable." Objection to Porsche Many respondents objected to Aquino's purchase of a Porsche 911, with the SWS finding pluralities of 52 percent in the Visayas, 51 percent in Mindanao and 46 percent in the Balance of Luzon. Pluralities of 50 percent and 45 percent, respectively were also recorded among the masa and the class E. Mixed results were recorded in Metro Manila (44 percent agree, 44 percent disagree and 13 percent undecided) and among the class ABC (48 percent agree, 46 percent disagree, 6 percent undecided). The SWS survey polled 1,200 adults nationwide and had sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages. – VVP, GMA News