Philippine president's satisfaction rating dips

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's satisfaction rating declined by 15 percentage points to +49, an independent polling firm said Monday. The Social Weather Station (SWS) survey showed that in the September 20-23 survey among 1,200 adult Filipinos, 68 percent were satisfied with the President, while 19 percent were dissatisfied or a net of +49. Aquino's satisfaction rating in June this year was at +64. Speaking at a news briefing on Monday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said "we recognize that the increase in those dissatisfied reflects the depth of anger and disappointment of the people at the way public funds have been stolen." The survey was conducted amid the alleged misuse of the multi- billion peso Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or pork barrel of some lawmakers. Valte said that the Aquino administration also shares the anger and disappointment at the alleged misuse of public funds. "No amount of clutter should confuse the true issue at hand: Public funds were stolen by elected officials and their cohorts in the bureaucracy and the private sector," she said.