SWS: Duterte net trust rating back to excellent

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte’s net trust rating returned to “excellent” in the fourth quarter of 2017, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest report. 

Eighty-three percent of adult Filipinos expressed much trust in Duterte while only seven percent had little trust in him, resulting in a net trust score of +75, classified by SWS as excellent. The remaining 10 percent could not say whether or not they trust the President.

SWS conducted the survey from Dec. 8 to 16, 2017 using face-to-face interviews among 1,200 adults nationwide. 

The President’s latest net trust rating of +75 was up from the “very high” +60 in September 2017 and a rebound after a 15-point decline from +75 in June 2017.

Except in September 2017, Duterte’s net trust rating has been excellent since he became President, the pollster noted.

The rating was a moderate +16 when SWS first asked about it in December 2015 and stayed that way up to the March 30 to April 2, 2016 poll. It then rose to a personal record-high of excellent +79 on June 24-27, 2016, just days before his inauguration on June 30, 2016.

SWS attributed the 15-point increase in Duterte’s national net trust rating between September and December 2017 to double-digit improvements in all areas.

It remained excellent in Mindanao, up by 12 points from +82 (85 percent much trust, three percent little trust) in September to +94 in December (95 percent much trust, two percent little trust, correctly rounded).

In the Visayas, it rose from very good to excellent – up by 19 points from +57 (71 percent much trust, 14 percent little trust) to +76 (83 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).

Duterte’s net trust score also went up one grade from very good to excellent in Metro Manila. It rose by 19 points from +54 (71 percent much trust, 17 percent little trust) to +73 (80 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).

It remained very good in balance Luzon, while up by 14 points from +52 (68 percent much trust, 15 percent little trust) to +66 (77 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust).

His net trust rating rose by one grade from very good to excellent in urban areas, from +59 (73 percent much trust, 14 percent little trust) to +77 (84 percent much trust, seven percent little trust).

Likewise, it rose by one grade from very good to excellent in rural areas, from +61 (72 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust) to +74 (81 percent much trust, eight percent little trust).

SWS said Duterte’s net trust ratings were excellent across all socio-economic levels.

It increased by two grades from good to excellent in class E, up by 36 points from +44 in September to +80 in December, and by one grade among class D – from +63 to +74.

Among classes ABC, it stayed excellent from +71 to +78. 

The President’s net trust rating rose by one grade from very good to excellent among women – from +59 to +75 – and among men, from +61 to +75.

By age, those who belong to the 25-44 years and the 55 and above brackets rated him excellent while those with ages 18-24 and 45-54 rated him very good.

It improved by one grade from very good to excellent among the 35-44 year olds, up by 25 points from +61 to +86. 

Net trust ratings rose by one grade from very good to excellent among those aged 55 and above – up by 15 points from +57 to +72 – and among the 25-34 year olds, from +68 to +78.

It remained very good among the 45-54 year olds, although higher by 16 points from +53 (68 percent much trust, 14 percent little trust) to +69 (79 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust). Those aged 18-24 also gave him almost the same rating – from +62 to +65.

By education, Duterte’s net trust rating rose by one grade from very good to excellent among high school graduates – from +65 to +78 – and among elementary graduates, who gave a 20 point-increase from +53 to +73.

The same rating was given by non-elementary graduates, from +53 to +70, but stayed excellent among college graduates, from +70 to +73.