Duterte rebounds with ‘very good’ rating — SWS

MANILA, Philippines — While a majority of Filipinos find his statements “vulgar,” public satisfaction with President Duterte has rebounded to “very good” territory in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The third quarter SWS survey, conducted from Sept. 15 to 23 with the results released yesterday, found that 70 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied with the performance of the President.

With 16 percent of respondents dissatisfied and 14 percent undecided, public satisfaction rating settled at “very good” +54.

The rating is nine points higher than his record-low “good” +45 public satisfaction (65 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in the second quarter survey in June.

The net satisfaction rating is the rounded off difference between those who said they are satisfied and dissatisfied with the performance of the President.

SWS classifies net trust 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.”

Based on the survey results, Duterte enjoyed an increase in his net satisfaction rating across all geographic areas.

It increased 16 points in Luzon (from +33 to +49), two points in the Visayas (from +47 to +49) and Metro Manila (from +34 to +36) and one point in Mindanao (from +76 to +77).

Duterte’s public satisfaction also increased among respondents belonging to class D (from +43 to +56).

However, satisfaction with his performance fell among those in class ABC (from +66 to +41) and class E (from +52 to +45).

In the same survey, respondents were asked for their views on some of Duterte’s controversial remarks, including calling God stupid and that the incidents of rape cases in Davao were due to the presence of many beautiful women.

Eighty-three percent of the respondents said Duterte’s pronouncement that “God is stupid” is vulgar or bastos. Fourteen percent said it was not, while the remaining three percent said they did not know.

Meanwhile, 63 percent of the respondents said his beautiful women remark was vulgar, while 33 percent said it was not. The remaining did not know.

SWS said Duterte had a lower satisfaction rating among those who said that his two statements were vulgar.

The survey had 1,500 adult respondents and a margin of error of +/- three percent.