Exploring the Correlates of Presidential Satisfaction in the Philippines using the Misery Index

Abstract:Notwithstanding their widespread use in many modern democracies, surveys on leadership satisfaction have generated much debate regarding the possible factors driving public opinion. As a contribution to the literature, this study empirically examines data on Philippine presidential net satisfaction generated by the Social Weather Stations, one of the most well-established survey firms in the archipelagic country. Using Presidential Net Satisfaction data from 1998 to 2019, this study aims to show the links (or lack thereof) between survey results on citizens' satisfaction with leadership on one hand, and objective and subjective indicators of economic well-being on the other. This study finds scant evidence that economic variables such as inflation and unemployment are tied to presidential satisfaction, despite the primacy of the economy in Philippine surveys of key policy issues.