Noy serves middle class more than rich, poor – poll

MANILA, Philippines - One in two Filipinos thinks President Aquino serves the interest of the middle class more than the rich or poor, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll revealed.

The SWS survey, published in the newspaper BusinessWorld yesterday, found 49 percent of Filipinos saying Aquino was serving the interest of the middle class, down from 52 percent in September last year.

It was 58 percent in March 2013, 52 percent in March 2012 and 55 percent in September 2010.

Four in 10 respondents or 44 percent, on the other hand, said the President was looking after the rich, up by six points from September 2013.

It was 40 percent in March 2013, 27 percent in March 2012 and 23 percent in September 2010.

Forty percent of Filipinos, meanwhile, think Aquino was serving the interest of the poor, down from 51 percent last September and 48 percent in March 2013, the SWS said.

The survey was conducted from March 27 to 30, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide.

The poll showed that half of respondents in Metro Manila (51 percent) believe the President is serving the middle class, while 50 and 34 percent said he is catering to the rich and poor, respectively.

In balance Luzon, 47 percent of Filipinos think the President is serving the rich, followed by the middle class at 44 percent and the poor at 40 percent.

In the Visayas, 52 percent said he is serving the middle class, followed by the poor (41 percent) and the rich (39 percent).

A little over half (53 percent) of respondents from Mindanao also think the President is serving the interest of the middle class more than the poor (43 percent) and rich (41 percent).

The SWS, however, noted that the net satisfaction rating of Aquino was higher among those who said he was serving the interest of the poor, at a “very good” 60, compared to those who said he was for the middle class – a “very good” 58 or the rich – a “moderate” 28.