Capping the year with a pat on the back: SWS survey issues ‘solid’ rating to President Noynoy Aquino

The Inquirer.net report couldn’t have put it quite more succinctly. Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III capped the year with “a pat on the back”…

“The results of the Fourth Quarter 2013 Social Weather Survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) make it evident: The Filipino people continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Aquino administration,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

The survey, conducted from December 11 to 16, showed that Aquino’s net satisfaction rating was still a “good” +49, as compared to three months ago. A majority of the respondents (69 percent) said they were satisfied with the President’s work while 21 percent said otherwise.

Giving the finger: Only Filipinos born yesterday seem to believe the BS.

Giving the finger: Only Filipinos born yesterday seem to believe the BS.

…not forgetting of course that the SWS along with that other “survey” firm Pulse Asia are both owned by relatives and friends of President BS Aquino.

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Indeed, both firms had been pillars of the media juggernaut mounted by the Aquino-Cojuangco feudal clan over the 2009-2010 presidential campaign period that ensured an easy victory for the clan’s golden scion. In a paper on public opinion organisations in the Philippines written by Professor Alfredo Sureta in 2009, both firms are described as enjoying an “interlocking directorship” that can be traced back to cousins of the President…

The SWS was founded in 1986 by Dr. Mahar Mangahas, Prof. Felipe Miranda, then DPWH Sec. Jose P. de Jesus (under President Cory Aquino), Mercy Abad among others while Pulse Asia was founded in the 90s when Prof. Felipe Miranda separated from Mangahas and bolted SWS. It should be noted that Managhas is the cousin of the late presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr while some of the prominent members of the board and stockholders of the Pulse Asia are blood relatives of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, official candidate for the president of the Liberal Party. The corporate records of both firms that are available at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will also show interlocking directorship with several personalities appearing as stockholders of both SWS and Pulse Asia.

Felipe Mirand, Rosalinda T. Miranda, Gemino H. Abad, Mercedes R. Abad, Jose P. de Jesus appear in SEC records as being founders and or stockholders of both SWS and Pulse Asia.

Mercedes R. Abad who is president of TRENDS-MBL, is the one who used to conduct the field research for both SWS and Pulse Asia.

Jose P. de Jesus of Pulse Asia was the DPWH Secretary during the time of the late President Cory Aquino.

Antonio O. Conjuangco and Rafael Conjuangco Lopa of Pulse Asia are cousins of Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Conjuangco Aquino III

What really is the purpose of these “surveys”? Nothing much except to provide an opinion with a bit of pseudo-science behind it. The thing with opinions, however, is that everyone has one. The SWS “opinion” on the President’s performance is but one such — one that is evidently tainted by a rather interesting money trail.

Even if we discount the puppetmaster effect of the financial backers of the SWS and Pulse Asia “survey” firms, there is always an element of dubiousness to how conclusive the results of these surveys actually are. These conclusions, after all, are based on a polled sample of the Philippines’ vast population of 100 million. The accuracy of the survey results (its statistical confidence level) are obviously dependent primarily on the size of this sample (i.e. the number of survey respondents). But equally important is the composition of this sample. The key questions to be asked, therefore, are:

(1) How many people responded to this SWS survey?

(2) Who are these respondents?

Maguindanao massacre victims: Not part of the SWS 'survey'

Maguindanao massacre victims: Not part of the SWS ‘survey’

The answer to Question 2 is crucial considering that the Philippines is a huge discontinuous archipelago populated by a racially and culturally diverse people. Did the “science” behind the SWS survey adjust sufficiently to this diversity and geographical breadth?

Who knows.

The SWS and other such “firms” will always insist that the science behind their “products” is sound. For that matter, anyone who issues an opinion will always claim that their own thinking faculties are sound.

[Photo of girl in yellow courtesy Dondi Tawatao via Zimbio.com.]

18 Replies to “Capping the year with a pat on the back: SWS survey issues ‘solid’ rating to President Noynoy Aquino”

  1. Why don’t we give our
    president a break? He
    deserve to relax. Tao din yan na kailangan magpahinga. For Him to to think well for our country, He needs to rest.

    1. I second that – R.I.P -Rest in peace.
      6 foot under is his destiny, but thinking is not his forte, in this world, or the next. In fact pnoy aquino will be standing in the corner wearing the dunce’s hat for a few hundred years.

    2. You and your president should take a permanent vacation since both of you are worthless pieces of shit.
      Like I said before, your president doesn’t need idiots like you if he was doing his job yet here you are, spreading propaganda and lies.

    3. The guy has never had a quality thought in his life. Never achieved anything and worse, never took responsibility for anything. Biggest crybaby wimp that ever existed. Protected by the biggest KSP wanton floozy known to man. Plus the charade that he is looking for a female companion. A grade 2 student wouldn’t fall for that deception. You trolls should take a rest since nothing works.

    4. Your president should give himself a break – a permanent one. He should leave the post of President of the Philippines and never come back.

      That’s how he can “think well” for our country.

    5. Bwahahaha, and the asskisser of PNoy is back.

      I kinda missed your old spiels and “comedic” posts. Even if he got a well-deserved rest, he’s still an idiot.

  2. SWS (Survey With Manipulation) and False Asia ginagawand tanga ang taumbayan. AQkala ba nila may naniniwala pa sa sa mga survey na yan. Panay ang pahinga ni PNoy, di naman nagtratrabaho…

  3. Those in the know are very aware that black propaganda and manipulated surveys are part of the distracting window dressing of the yellow dictator BS Aquino. Repeat the lies, false political slogans and promises are intended to mislead the uneducated and gullible Filipino people. BS thinks he can fool all of the people all of the time with his controlled surveys. Down with the yellow dictatorship! Resign BS Aquino!

  4. Those who claim the SWS surveys are true should show the list of those 1,200 “respondents” since the credibility of those surveys are very very questionable.

    Only gullible morons like “kathniel” would believe them anyway since they enjoy licking Mr.Aquino’s hairy butt so much.

  5. Those surveys are just “doctored” documents that will just inflate the ego of our president.

    PNoy will just think that everything’s OK because of the “satisfactory” rating he’s got. Obviously, he’s still dreaming.

    1. SWS announced the reverse side of survey, If Aquino popularity is only 10%, they reversed it to 90%..So simple hah!

  6. I hope this country grows up, and fast. I have baby daughter and I’m literally shuddering, thinking about what kind of future she has here in this broken country. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Philippines. We have a beautiful and diverse country teeming with natural respoiurces etc etc. But the government machinery that dominates us all is broken. Corruption is OK. The church meddling with the state is OK (I blame them for our obscene population number), religious cults that can make or break an election, blatant nepotism, political dynasties, the party list system, and a lot, lot more. We simply cannot get up from this knockdown if the system isn’t changed. Federal? Parliament? Dictatorship??? A lot of old timers I talk to all say that it was better when Marcos was around. Even the united states thought twice about pissing him off. In any event, we, the minority,should look for living arrangements outside of the philippines. Its more fun here, but everything else is better abroad (or so I’m told).

  7. SWS Pleeeaaassseee…Don’t fool us! SOBRA NA PAMBIBILOG NIYO SA ISIP NG MGA PILIPINO! Sinong na survey niyo? Pakilabas nga yung hard copy niyo! In the eyes of the world after the typhoon this government was exposed to its incompetency and yet ended this year in a very good grade in your survey! PKI EXPLAIN!!!!!

  8. Surveys like the SWS False Asia Survey, relies on the Science of Statistics. I have not seen nor heard any people from those false survey firms; knocking around people’s doors. Asking for their opinions. Nor do I know that those conducting “surveys” are knowledgeable in the Science of Statistics.

    I know, the murderous tyrant: Saddam Hussein of Iraq, had his survey firm also. He usually got 99.99% approval rating. While, he murdered thousands upon thousands of Iraqui Shiites and burying them in mass graves. He even put his picture infront of the Shiite Mosque, most holy temple. Ordering people to venerate it.

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