Social Weather Report | Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s Net Satisfaction Rating at +47, Similar to +44 in September 2023

by Social Weather Stations

Pres. Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises in all areas except Mindanao

The national Social Weather Survey of December 8-11, 2023, the most recent quarterly survey finalized by SWS, found 65% of adult Filipinos satisfied, 17% undecided, and 18% dissatisfied with the performance of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as President.

Compared to September 2023, gross satisfaction with President Marcos stayed at 65%, gross undecided rose from 14%, and gross dissatisfaction fell slightly from 21% [Chart 1, Tables 1 and 2].

The resulting net satisfaction rating is +47 (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied), classified by SWS as good[1] (+30 to +49). This is 3 points up from the good +44 in September 2023.

The national findings of the SWS December 2023 survey on people’s satisfaction with the President were first presented at the 2024 SWS Survey Review on February 8, 2024.

Pres. Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises in all areas except Mindanao

As of December 2023, President Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was highest in Balance Luzon at very good +52, followed by the Visayas at very good +51, Metro Manila at good +44, and Mindanao at good +38 [Chart 2].

Compared to September 2023, net satisfaction with Pres. Marcos rose by 8 points from +36 in Metro Manila, by 4 points from +48 in Balance Luzon, and by 18 points from +33 in the Visayas. However, it fell by 12 points from +50 in Mindanao.

Net satisfaction with Pres. Marcos rises in rural areas, falls in urban areas

By locale, net satisfaction with President Marcos was higher in rural areas at very good +56 than in urban areas at good +39 [Chart 3].

Compared to September 2023, President Marcos’ net satisfaction rose by 12 points from +44 in rural areas. However, it fell by 6 points from +45 in urban areas.

Net satisfaction with Pres. Marcos rises among men, steady among women

President Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was very good +53 among men and good +41 among women [Chart 4].

Compared to September 2023, net satisfaction with President Marcos rose by 6 points from +47 among men while it stayed at +41 among women.

Pres. Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises among the 25-44-year-olds, steady among other age groups

As of December 2023, the President’s net satisfaction rating was very good +53 among the 18-24-year-olds, very good +53 among the 25-34-year-olds, good +43 among the 35-44-year-olds, good +49 among the 45-54-year-olds, and good +44 among those 55 years old and older [Chart 5].

Compared to September 2023, net satisfaction with the President hardly moved from +52 among the 18-24-year-olds, from +42 among the 35-44-year-olds, and from +43 among those 55 years old and older. It rose by 8 points from +45 among the 25-34-year-olds and by 5 points from +44 among the 45-54-year-olds.

Net satisfaction with Pres. Marcos rises among elementary graduates

As of December 2023, President Marcos’ net satisfaction rating was very good +51 among those who either had no formal education or some elementary education, very good +56 among those who either finished elementary or had some high school education, good +45 among those who either finished junior high school, had some vocational schooling, had some senior high school, finished senior high school, completed vocational school, or attended some college, and good +36 among those who either graduated from college or took post-graduate studies [Chart 6].

Compared to September 2023, the President’s net satisfaction rating rose by 4 points from +47 among those who either had no formal education or some elementary education, and by 15 points from +41 among those who either finished elementary or had some high school education. It hardly moved from +48 among those who either finished junior high school, had some vocational schooling, had some senior high school, finished senior high school, completed vocational school, or attended some college, and from +34 among those who either graduated from college or took post-graduate studies.

Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents

Applying census weights and correctly rounded, 13% of the respondents are from Metro Manila, 45% from Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), 19% from the Visayas, and 23% from Mindanao [Table 3].

Fifty-two percent are from urban areas, and 48% are from rural areas.

Male and female respondents have a 1-to-1 ratio and, thus, are alternately sampled.

By age group, 12% are youth (18-24), 16% are intermediate youth (25-34), 22% are middle-aged (35-44), 17% are 45 to 54 years old, and 33% are 55 years old and above.

By education, 12% had at most some elementary education, 25% either finished elementary or had some high school education, 32% either finished junior high school or completed vocational school, 20% attended some college, and 11% either graduated from college or took post-graduate studies.

Survey background

The Fourth Quarter 2023 Social Weather Survey was conducted from December 8 to 11, 2023, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), the Visayas, and Mindanao. Face-to-face is the standard interviewing method for Social Weather Stations; the only exceptions were early in the pandemic when movement restrictions made face-to-face impossible and mobile phone interviews were conducted. Normal face-to-face field operations resumed in November 2020. The sampling error margins are ±2.8% for national percentages, and ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The area estimates were weighted by the Philippine Statistics Authority medium-population projections for 2023 to obtain the national estimates.

The survey items reported here were non-commissioned. They were done on SWS’s own initiative and released as a public service.

The exact phrasing of the survey questions (the source language is Filipino; English translation included) was:

“Maaari po bang pakisabi ninyo kung gaano kayo nasisiyahan o hindi nasisiyahan sa pagganap ng tungkulin ni FERDINAND MARCOS, JR. bilang Presidente ng Pilipinas. Kayo ba ay lubos na nasisiyahan, medyo nasisiyahan, hindi tiyak kung nasisiyahan o hindi, medyo hindi nasisiyahan, lubos na hindi nasisiyahan, o wala pa kayong narinig o nabasa kahit na kailan tungkol kay FERDINAND MARCOS, JR.? [Please tell me how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with the performance of FERDINAND MARCOS, JR. as President of the Philippines. Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, undecided if satisfied or dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, very dissatisfied, or you have not ever heard or read anything about FERDINAND MARCOS, JR.?]”

SWS employs its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, data processing, and analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations. This report was prepared by Leo S. Laroza.

[1] The SWS terminology for Net Satisfaction Ratings: +70 and above, "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"; -70 and below, "execrable". Presidential Net Satisfaction ratings of “good” (+30 to +49) or higher are traditionally termed a “honeymoon.”

Chart 1