President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines marked his first 100 days in office on October 7 with a high satisfaction rating among Filipinos.
The first Social Weather Stations survey to measure public satisfaction of presidential performance in the Duterte era found that three-fourths (76 percent) of voting-age Filipinos declared themselves satisfied with Duterte.
About a tenth, or 11 percent, of respondents said they were dissatisfied, while 13 percent were undecided. The results of the September 24-27 survey were released through BusinessWorld, which partners with SWS.
In SWS terms, President Duterte’s net satisfaction rating in the first quarter of his term (percent satisfied minus percent dissatisfied) was 64 percent (rounded off) — “very good” in the SWS classification system and the second highest among post-Edsa presidents.
At roughly the same time in their respective terms, four other presidents earned “very good” net satisfaction ratings: Benigno Aquino III at 60 percent, Joseph Estrada also at 60 percent, and Corazon Aquino at 53 percent. Only Fidel Ramos received a higher net rating than Duterte, with 66 percent.
Gloria Arroyo, who came to power after Estrada was ousted in 2001, received a net rating of 24 percent, which SWS classifies as “moderate.”
SWS found that the first president from Mindanao enjoyed “excellent” support in Mindanao, with 88 percent satisfied and only 4 percent dissatisfied, for a net rating of 85 percent (rounded off). Mr. Duterte earned “very good” net ratings in the other major geographical blocs: 62 percent in the Visayas, 58 percent in Metro Manila, 57 percent in “balance Luzon.”
The SWS polling organization noted that another survey it conducted on June 24 to 27 measured the President’s net trust rating at an “excellent” 79 percent.
Pulse Asia, the other major survey organization, estimated President Duterte’s trust rating at 91 percent, as determined by its survey conducted from July 2 to 8, or just days after the presidential inauguration.
Malacañang has said the “excellent” net satisfaction rating on Duterte’s war against illegal drugs validates his victory in the May elections.
“The Social Weather Stations survey result showing that 84 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with President Rodrigo Duterte’s all-out war on illegal drugs validates his landslide victory in the May elections based on his campaign pledge to eliminate the drug menace,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement on October 7.
“The relentless campaign against illegal drugs will be carried out to its logical conclusion: to emancipate the nation from the scourge of illegal drugs by running after all those involved in the illegal drugs trade with the full force of the law,” he added.
In a separate statement, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the result of the survey showed that “the people trust the actions of the President.”
“The survey tells us that a majority of the people trust the actions of the President, that they value human life, and perceive fairness in the carrying out of police duties. It is encouraging that the people and the President share in the dream to have a comfortable life for all,” Abella said.
Despite criticisms on Duterte’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, Andanar reiterated that the Duterte administration did not condone extrajudicial killings.
“We reiterate: The Duterte administration does not condone summary execution or extrajudicial killing of drug suspects. The Philippine National Police is investigating all cases of extrajudicial killings and will prosecute the perpetrators to the full extent of the law,” he said.
Andanar said the government’s concern also include public health issue and the rehabilitation of drug surrenderers.
“At the same time, cognizant that illegal drugs are not only a law enforcement concern but also a public health issue, the government is putting up more rehabilitation centers to accommodate those who have surrendered to authorities and are willing to undergo treatment for their addiction,” he said.