Duterte’s first 100 days: So far, so ‘very good’

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte has received a “very good” +64 net satisfaction rating at the end of his first three months in office, according to a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey – conducted from Sept. 24 to 27 and result of which was published in BusinessWorld yesterday – found that 76 percent of 1,200 respondents were satisfied with the performance of the President since he assumed office on June 30.

Eleven percent were dissatisfied, while 13 percent said they were undecided.

The net satisfaction rating was obtained by subtracting the dissatisfaction rating from the satisfaction rating.

SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings of at least +70 as “excellent”; +50 to +69 as “very good”; +30 to +49 as “good”; +10 to +29 as “moderate”; +9 to -9 as “neutral”; -10 to -29 as “poor”; -30 to -49 as “bad”; -50 to -69 as “very bad”; and -70 and below as “execrable.”

Except for former president Fidel Ramos, who obtained a +66 net satisfaction rating (70 percent satisfied, four percent dissatisfied) in September 1992, Duterte edged out the ratings of all post-Marcos presidents in their first net satisfaction ratings after assuming office.

Former president Corazon Aquino obtained a “very good” 53 (60 percent satisfied, seven percent dissatisfied) in a survey conducted in May 1986, while former president Joseph Estrada a “very good” +60 (69 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied) in September 1998.

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo obtained a “moderate” +24 (42 percent satisfied, 18 percent dissatisfied) in March 2001, two months after being sworn into office after the second people power. She obtained a “moderate” +12 (48 percent satisfied, 36 percent dissatisfied) in August 2004 after winning her second term.

Duterte’s predecessor, former president Benigno Aquino III, obtained a “very good” +60 (71 percent satisfied, 11 percent dissatisfied) in a September 2010 survey.

Based on the results of the survey, Duterte obtained an “excellent” +85 (88 percent satisfied, four percent dissatisfied, rounded off) net satisfaction rating in his bailiwick Mindanao, and “very good” scores in other locations.

He obtained +62 in the Visayas (75 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied, rounded off), +58 in Metro Manila (74 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied), and +57 in “balance Luzon” (70 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied).

Duterte also scored “very good” across all economic classes: +56 (69 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) among those in ABC, while +65 (76 percent satisfied, 11 percent dissatisfied) each in classes D and E.

His net satisfaction was “very good” +63 and +67 in urban and rural areas, respectively, while he obtained an “excellent” +71 among men and a “very good” +58 among women.

In terms of educational attainment, Duterte got an “excellent” +71 among high school graduates and “very good” ratings in the rest: +65 among college graduates, +57 among elementary graduates and +54 among non-elementary school graduates.

Duterte’s satisfaction rating was also “excellent” among those aged 25 to 34 years old (+73) and those aged 35 to 44 years old (+71).

He obtained “very good” ratings among those in the 45 to 54 age bracket (+61), those above 55 (+58) and those in the youngest 18 to 24 age bracket (+55).

The non-commissioned survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents. It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus three points for national percentages.

Palace pleased

Malacañang is pleased with the “very good” net satisfaction rating Duterte received on his first 100 days in office.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the results showed that Filipinos trust what the President is doing.

“We just like to say that the President is off to a very good start. Piggybacking on that is the World Bank report that Philippine economic growth is expected to accelerate to 6.4 percent (this year),” Abella said.

He also cited the Board of Investments report that the investment commitment in the country this year has so far soared 200 percent to P51 billion from P17 billion last year.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said he was not surprised with Duterte’s high satisfaction rating since he was overwhelmingly elected in the May 9 polls “on the strength of his platform of tunay na pagbabago (real change) anchored on a strong anti-drugs, anti-crime and anti-corruption agenda.”

“While the Duterte administration’s performance in the past three months is exemplary, this is not the time for complacency. There is much work to be done not only in eliminating the scourge of illegal drugs and crime, but also in fighting poverty and improving the lives of the underprivileged and the powerless,” Andanar said in a statement.

“More than ever, we ask for the full support of all Filipinos behind the President’s reform agenda so that we can achieve lasting peace and prosperity in the years ahead,” he added.

Militant protest

Meanwhile, militant groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) are set to hold a rally tomorrow to mark the 100th day in office of President Duterte.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes yesterday said the rally in Mendiola will call for the fulfillment of the People’s Agenda for Change crafted during the start of the Duterte administration.

Groups are pressing the administration to implement much needed socio-economic reforms in keeping with the President’s promise of change. – With Giovanni Nilles, Rhodina Villanueva