SWS: Majority of Filipinos OK with gov’t efforts vs Maute
Sixty-six percent of Filipinos said they are pleased with the government’s response to the Maute crisis, which yielded a net satisfaction rating of +48 or “good.” It was two points below the “very good” +50 in June 2017. Only 18 percent were dissatisfied while 16 percent were undecided. AP/Bullit Marquez
MANILA, Philippines — Almost seven out of 10 Filipinos expressed their satisfaction over the government’s actions in suppressing the Maute group, results of the latest Social Weather Stations poll revealed.
The survey was conducted from September 23 to 27 but the results were released only on November 12. The survey period also preceded the declared liberation of Marawi City after a five-month-long urban warfare between state forces and extremist militants.
Sixty-six percent of Filipinos said they are pleased with the government’s response to the Maute crisis, which yielded a net satisfaction rating of +48 or “good.” It was two points below the “very good” +50 in June 2017.
Only 18 percent were dissatisfied while 16 percent were undecided.
The public’s net satisfaction with President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration’s efforts against the ISIS-inspired group stayed “very good” in Metro Manila (+54) and Mindanao (+54) and “good” in the Visayas (+49) and Balance Luzon (+42).
Moreover, net satisfaction with the government’s actions in suppressing the Maute group was “neutral” (+3) among Muslims and “good” (+48) among Roman Catholics.
Majority of the members of Iglesia ni Cristo (“very good” at +57) and religions other than Roman Catholicism and Islam (“very good” at 65) were satisfied with the government’s response.
The same survey also found out that 60 percent of Filipinos believe that terrorist groups who invaded received money from the illegal drug trade. Eleven percent said they do not believe this while 29 percent were undecided.
READ: Scenarios drawn from death of Marawi siege leaders
Martial law in Mindanao
The September survey found that net satisfaction with the performance of Duterte and the national administration on fighting terrorism and reconciliation with Muslim rebels was highest among those who were satisfied with the government’s response to Maute group.
Fifty-four percent of Filipinos agreed with the statement: “The Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP can suppress the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf even without Martial Law.” Twenty-two were undecided while 25 percent disagreed.
This yielded a net agreement rating of +29 or “moderately good”—three points and one grade below the “very strong” +32 in June 2017.
In a separate poll, 54 percent of Filipinos saw the need to carry out the president’s proposal to extend martial law in the southern Philippines until the end of the year.
READ: SWS September poll shows half of Pinoys agreed with martial law extension
In a speech before troops on the 148th day since the crisis began, Duterte announced the liberation of Marawi City. He said the declaration marks the beginning of the rehabilitation of Lanao del Sur's capital.
The president's announcement came after terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute were killed in a military operation at dawn on October 16.
Rebuilding of Marawi will start mid-2018, according to Task Force Bangon Marawi chief Eduardo Del Rosario.
Duterte has yet to lift martial law in Mindanao.
A total of 1,500 adults were surveyed using face-to-face interviews. It has sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao. — Infographic by Jonathan Asuncion
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