Filipinos satisfied with war on drugs – survey

Filipinos' satisfaction with the government's campaign against illegal drugs remains “very good” despite declining two percentage points from June to September, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showed.

The nationwide survey fielded over Sept. 23-27 among 1,500 respondents found 77 percent satisfied and 14 percent dissatisfied with the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

This translates to a net satisfaction rating (percentage of satisfied minus percentage of dissatisfied) of +63, classified by SWS as “very good.”

However, SWS said this is two points below the very good +65 (78 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in June, 2017.

SWS terminology for net satisfaction ratings are translated as follows: +70 and above as "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;" and -70 and below "execrable."

Net satisfaction with the performance of President Duterte was higher among those satisfied with the campaign against illegal drugs, at +63 (75 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied), compared to the +23 (48 percent satisfied, 26 percent dissatisfied) among those undecided about the anti-illegal drug campaign, and the -20 (31 percent satisfied, 50 percent dissatisfied among those dissatisfied with the campaign against illegal drugs).

The survey also pointed out that satisfaction with the war on drugs rose in Mindanao but declined in Metro Manila.

The two-point decline in nationwide satisfaction with the anti-illegal drug campaign in September, 2017 was due to decreased support in Metro Manila and rest of Luzon, offset by increased support in Mindanao and in Visayas, SWS explained.

Net satisfaction was highest in Mindanao, increasing by 11 points from +66 (79 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in June to +77 (85 percent satisfied, 7 percent dissatisfied) in September.

It ranged from +70 to +87 in September, 2016 to March, 2017.

It increased by four points in Visayas, from +64 (78 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied) in June to +68 (80 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in September.

It ranged from +64 to +76 in September, 2016 to March, 2017.

But it fell by 16 points in Metro Manila, from +77 (86 percent satisfied, 9 percent dissatisfied) in June, 2017, to +61 (77 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in September.

It ranged from +69 to +80 in September, 2016 to March, 2017.

It fell by seven points in rest of Luzon, from +61 (75 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied) in June to +54 (72 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) in September.

It ranged from +64 to +77 in September, 2016 to March, 2017.

Likewise, during the survey, 71 percent of Filipinos said there are less drug addicts in their area compared to six months ago, while 9 percent said there are more, and 12 percent said the number was the same.

The largest proportion of those who see fewer drug addicts now compared to six months ago was in Mindanao, where 85 percent said there are less drug addicts now, 3 percent said there are more, and 7 percent said it is the same.

This is followed by rest of Luzon (68 percent less, 8 percent more, and 14 percent same), Metro Manila (66 percent less, 15 percent more, 16 percent same), and Visayas (65 percent less, 13 percent more, 14 percent same).