Net satisfaction with drug war steadies — SWS

NET SATISFACTION with the Duterte administration’s drug war has steadied at +65, a one-point rise in the second-quarter poll of the Social Weather Stations.

The Second Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey, conducted June 27-30, showed 78% of respondents satisfied with the controversial antidrug campaign, as opposed to 13% dissatisfied, leading to a net satisfaction of +65 points classified as “very good,” the broad rating since the whole of last year for the campaign.

(The SWS terminology for net satisfaction ratings is as follows: +70 and above, “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”, +9 to –9, “neutral”; –10 to –29, “poor”; –30 to –49, “bad”; –50 to –69, “very bad”; –70 and below, “execrable.”)

“Satisfaction with the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs was at an excellent +76 when it was first surveyed in September 2016,” SWS noted. This satisfaction peaked in December that year at an excellent +77.

“The 1-point increase in nationwide net satisfaction with the anti-illegal drug campaign in June 2018 was because of a decrease in support in the Visayas, offset by slight increases in support in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, and Mindanao,” SWS said.

Net satisfaction in the Visayas fell by 12 points from “very good” +69 (79% satisfied, 9% dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in March to +57 (74% satisfied, 16% dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in June. Satisfaction in the Visayas had previously ranged from +63 to +69 for five quarters since March 2017.

Net satisfaction was highest in President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s home region of Mindanao, increasing by 3 points, from the “excellent” +81 (87% satisfied, 6% dissatisfied) in March to +84 (89% satisfied, 5% dissatisfied) in June. “Out of eight survey rounds since September 2016, it has been excellent in seven and very good in one,” SWS said.

In Metro Manila, net satisfaction increased by 2 points from “very good” +65 (78% satisfied, 13% dissatisfied) in March to +67 (79% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied) in June. And in Balance Luzon, net satisfaction increased by 5 points from “very good” +53 (67% satisfied, 15% dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in March to +58 (74% satisfied, 16% dissatisfied) in June.

The survey was conducted using faceto-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Sought for comment, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in part: “We welcome the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing 78% satisfaction with the Administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.”

“This is a testament that the drug war continues to enjoy the broad support of our people, notwithstanding the efforts of the detractors and critics of the Administration to politicize the issue or discredit the campaign’s success.” — with