Public satisfaction with Duterte government reaches record high — SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Public satisfaction with the national government under President Duterte reached a record high in the first quarter of 2019, according to a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, conducted from March 28 to 31 with the results released on Friday night, showed that 81 percent of the 1,440 respondents were satisfied with the general performance of the current administration.

Nine percent were dissatisfied, while 10 percent said they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of “excellent” +72.

This is six points above the “very good” +66 (76 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) obtained in the last survey conducted in December 2018.

It was also two points above the previous record of “excellent” +70 (79 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied) in December 2017.

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

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.”

By area, class

According to SWS, the six-point increase in the public satisfaction with the national government was due to the increase recorded among respondents in all geographic areas.

It increased by 11 points among respondents in the Visayas, from “very good” +63 in December 2018 to “excellent” +74 in March.

It stayed excellent in Mindanao, up by six points from +75 to +81.

Public satisfaction with the national government also stayed “very good” in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, increasing from +60 to +65 and from +65 to +68, respectively.

Across socio-economic standing, net satisfaction with the administration rose seven points among class D respondents, from “very good” +65 to “excellent” +72.

It stayed “excellent” in class ABC, hardly moving from +72 to +73.

But satisfaction declined from “excellent” +70 to “very good” +68 among respondents who belong in class E.

Specific issues

Satisfaction on how the government addressed certain issues also mostly improved in the first quarter of 2019.

Out of the 11 specific issues included in the SWS survey, public satisfaction improved in eight issues, including helping the poor (+68 to +72), fighting terrorism (+55 to +58), fighting crimes (+44 to +48), reconciling with communist rebels (+39 to +45), reconciling with Muslim rebels (+43 to +44), foreign relations (+38 to +41), ensuring that no family will be hungry (+28 to +37) and fighting inflation (+14 to +22).

Meanwhile, public satisfaction went down on the issue of reconstructing Marawi (+60 to +58) and eradicating graft and corruption (+42 to +41), while it remained the same on defending Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (+40).

The survey had an error margin of +/- 2.6 percent.

Competent leadership

With the President’s recent record high satisfaction rating, Malacañang urged critics to stop questioning his competence in handling government affairs.

“Our countrymen’s towering satisfaction in favor of our hardships and attainments is a hard slap on the face of the opposition and our detractors who, from day one, never gave the leadership of President Duterte a chance to show them his competence in administering the nation’s affairs,” Panelo said.

Panelo brushed aside criticisms ranging from the bloody drug war to the President’s unconventional way of dealing with the US and China.

“We are also glad that our people appreciate the current government’s efforts in fighting poverty as this specific issue got the highest rating, along with other issues like reconstructing Marawi City as well as fighting terrorism,” he said.

Panelo added that the “whole-of-the-nation approach” centered on peace and development has been laid out.

“The efforts of this administration in serving the nation and the Filipinos are starting to bear fruit,” Panelo said. – With Christina Mendez