Malacañang said yesterday the administration’s +56 net satisfaction rating in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that Filipinos can “feel” improvements in government services and its pursuit of inclusive growth.

“This recent measurement of public opinion indicates that the public not only sees, but has tangibly felt, the government’s efforts to improve services, push for inclusive growth and upgrade response to disasters,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a news briefing, citing the results of the Fourth Quarter 2011 Social Weather Report.

Lacierda said the government views as “an indication of public concern” public opinion on certain issues, such as oil prices and peace negotiations with the communist rebels where public satisfaction dipped.

In terms of ensuring that oil firms don’t take advantage of oil prices, the government received a rating of -3 in December 2011 from +4 in September 2011; reconciliation with communist rebels, +20 from +33; and reconciliation with Muslim rebels, +19 from +34.

He said, however, that despite lower public satisfaction on government performance on some issues, overall satisfaction remains unchanged at +56 in December—the same as in the last polling period in September last year.

“We believe this suggests that the public acknowledges our efforts but that solution is not entirely in the government’s hands alone….Other issues are currently being addressed but need time for their full effects to be felt by our fellow citizens,” Lacierda said.

The public deemed as “very good” the administration’s overall performance in terms of helping victims of disaster (+58), helping the handicapped (+55), and helping the poor (+51).

The administration obtained a “good” rating in promoting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (+46), promoting human rights (+45), foreign relations (+43), developing tourism (+35), fighting crimes (+34), and having clear policies (+34).

It scored “moderate” in promoting foreign investments (+27 from +13 in June 2006), fighting terrorism (+27 from +34 in September 2011), transparency in government activities (+27  from +13 in February 2009), reconciliation with communist rebels, reconciliation with Muslim rebels, and eradicating graft and corruption (+15 from +27).

The administration’s performance was rated “neutral” on the issues of ensuring that no family will be hungry (+9), fighting inflation (+8), ensuring that oil firms don’t take advantage of oil prices (-3); and “poor” in resolving the Maguindanao massacre case with justice (-18).

The government obtained higher ratings in terms of disaster relief, to +58 in December 2011 from +52 in December 2009; and helping the handicapped, to +55 from +41 in September 2000.

OFW protection improved by 5 percentage points over the last poll period in September, and human-rights protection by 3 percentage points.

Tourism development, which was at +19 percent in its last inclusion in the survey in June 2001, improved to +35 in December 2011.