MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte maintained his “excellent” trust rating in the first quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) with eight in 10 or 80 percent of Filipinos continuing to express “much trust” in him.
Malacañang, through presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, welcomed the survey, saying the “resistance to change in Philippine society has been breached” by Duterte and that “with him, we are assured that the interests of the Filipino people come first and last.”
The poll, taken from March 25 to 28, showed only 10 percent of Filipinos have “little” trust in Duterte, yielding a net trust rating of +70, which is classified as “excellent.”
SWS said 11 percent were undecided on the matter.
Duterte’s latest trust rating was similar to the “excellent” +72 (81 percent much trust, nine percent little trust) recorded in December 2016.
The President’s net trust rating has been excellent for four consecutive quarters, since rising from the moderate +26 (54 percent much trust, 28 percent little trust) in May 2016, the SWS noted.
Abella said “the President continues to be the most trusted national leader today.”
“His net trust rating has been excellent for four consecutive quarters, considering the deeply entrenched culture of illegal drugs, criminality and corruption,” he added.
Abella urged Filipinos to be “vigilant and engage partners in active pursuit of change.”
Duterte’s net trust rating dropped six points in both balance Luzon and the Visayas, but rose by nine points in Metro Manila and four points in Mindanao.
It rose one grade from “very good” to “excellent” in Metro Manila, from +65 (76 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust) in December 2016 to +74 (82 percent much trust, nine percent little trust, correctly rounded) in March 2017.
It went up four points and stayed “excellent” in Mindanao, from +85 (90 percent much trust, five percent little trust) to +89 (92 percent much trust, three percent little trust).
It dropped six points but stayed in “very good” territory in balance Luzon, from +69 (79 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust) to +63 (75 percent much trust, 12 percent little trust).
It fell six points but stayed “very good” in the Visayas, from +69 (78 percent much trust, nine percent little trust) to +63 (74 percent much trust, 12 percent little trust, correctly rounded).
The President’s net trust rating stayed “excellent” in urban areas at +72 (81 percent much trust, nine percent little trust) in March, hardly moving from +73 (82 percent much trust, eight percent little trust, correctly rounded) in December.
It, however, fell from “excellent” to “very good” in rural areas, from +71 (80 percent much trust, nine percent little trust) to +68 (79 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust, correctly rounded).
His net trust rating rose 16 points and up one grade from “very good” to “excellent” in class ABC, from +59 (75 percent much trust, 16 percent little trust) to +75 (81 percent much trust, six percent little trust).
It stayed “excellent” in class D or the masses, hardly moving from +73 (81 percent much trust, nine percent little trust, correctly rounded to +71 (80 percent much trust, nine percent little trust) in March.
However, it fell one grade from “excellent” to “very good” in class E, down by eight points from +72 (80 percent much trust, eight percent little trust) in December to +64 (77 percent much trust, 12 percent little trust, correctly rounded).
Duterte’s net trust rating also stayed “excellent” among men, hardly moving from +75 (83 percent much trust, eight percent little trust) to +73 (82 percent much trust, eight percent little trust, correctly rounded); “very good” among women, hardly changing from +69 (79 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust) to +67 (78 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust); “excellent” among 18- to 24-year-olds, hardly moving from +77 (84 percent much trust, seven percent little trust) in December to +76 (82 percent much trust, six percent little trust).
It rose one grade from “very good” to “excellent” among 45- to 54- year-olds, up by 11 points from +65 (76 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust) to +76 (83 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).
It dropped five points but stayed “excellent” among 35- to 44-year-olds, from +80 (85 percent much trust, five percent little trust) to +75 (82 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).
It also stayed “excellent” among those 25 to 34, although down by nine points from +79 (86 percent much trust, seven percent little trust) to +70 (81 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust); “very good” among 55 and above to +60 (74 percent much trust, 14 percent little trust) despite dropping three points from +63 (76 percent much trust, 13 percent little trust); “excellent” among college graduates, hardly moving from +78 (85 percent much trust, seven percent little trust) to +79 (84 percent much trust, five percent little trust); and “excellent” at +76 among high school graduates (83 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).
It declined four points but stayed “very good” among elementary graduates, from +68 (78 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust) to +64 (76 percent much trust, 12 percent little trust).
It also stayed “very good” among non-elementary graduates, despite a six-point drop to +59 (75 percent much trust, 16 percent little trust) from +64 (79 percent much trust, 14 percent little trust, correctly rounded).
The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide. It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus three percentage points. – With Alexis Romero