NET TRUST ratings were “very good” for the United States, “good” for Japan and Australia, and “neutral” for China, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which showed “the same grade for all four countries” compared to “when they were last surveyed,” SWS said. The First Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey, conducted March 28-31, found a “very good’ +60 net trust rating for the United States (70% much trust, 10% little trust), “good” net trust ratings for Japan at +34 (54% much trust, 20% little trust) and Australia at +33 (51% much trust, 18% little trust), and a “neutral” -6 net trust rating for China (32% much trust, 39% little trust, correctly rounded).The SWS terminology for Net Trust Ratings is as follows: +70 and above, “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”; +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; -70 and below, “execrable.”

Net trust rating for the United States in SWS’ December 2018 poll was also +60 (71% much trust, 11% little trust). “Net trust in the United States has been positive since SWS first surveyed it in December 1994, ranging from a ‘moderate’ +18 in May 2005 to as high as ‘excellent’ +82 in December 2013. It has been at +60 and above in six out of seven surveys since June 2017,” the polling group said.

Net trust rating for Japan was also +34 (53% much trust, 19% little trust) in December 2018. SWS said it “first surveyed public trust in Japan in December 1994, and found ‘neutral’ net ratings from December 1994 to December 1996, ranging from -2 to +9. It rose to a ‘moderate’ +17 in June 1997, and has since then been at ‘moderate’ to ‘good’ levels, reaching as high as ‘very good’ +54 in December 2017.”

Net trust rating for Australia in the latest survey was up 2 points from +31 (49% much trust, 19% little trust, correctly rounded) in December 2018. “Net trust in Australia was a ‘moderate’ +11 when SWS first surveyed it in April 1995. It ranged from ‘neutral’ +3 to ‘moderate’ +25 from September 1995 to March 2008. It rose to ‘good’ +31 in September 2008, and has since then been at +30 and above, except for the ‘moderate’ +19 in September 2009,” SWS said.

Net trust stayed for China was up 1 point from -7 (31% much trust, 39% little trust, correctly rounded) in December 2018. Said the polling group: “Net trust in China has been positive in only 9 out of 49 surveys since SWS first surveyed it in August 1994. It reached as high as ‘moderate’ +17 in June 2010 and as low as a ‘bad’ -46 in September 2015.”

The March survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, with sampling error margins of ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5% each for the said areas. The surveys are non-commissioned.

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