Majority of Pinoys favor extension of martial law in Mindanao – SWS

More than half of Filipinos support the proposal to extend martial law in the entire Mindanao until the end of the year, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The nationwide survey conducted last Sept. 23-27 with 1,500 respondents found 54 percent of Filipinos agreeing (31 percent strongly agree, 22 percent somewhat agree), and 30 percent disagreeing (12 percent somewhat disagree, 18 percent strongly disagree), with President Rodrigo Duterte's proposal to Congress to extend martial law in the whole of Mindanao until December 31, 2017.

This yielded a net agreement score (percent agree minus percent disagree) of +24, classified by SWS as "moderately strong."

Net agreement with President Duterte's decision to extend martial law until end of 2017 was highest in Mindanao at +41 (64 percent agree, 23 percent disagree), followed by Visayas at +22 (54 percent agree, 32 percent disagree), rest of Luzon also at +18 (49 percent agree, 31 percent disagree), and Metro Manila at +16 (52 percent agree, 36 percent disagree).

SWS defines the following terminologies for net agreement as: +50 and above, extremely strong; +30 to +49, very strong; 10 to +29, moderately strong; +9 to –9, neutral; –10 to –29, moderately weak; –30 to –49, very weak; and –50 and below, extremely weak.

It noted that support for the President's move to extend martial law in Mindanao was stronger among upperto-middle class ABC (+51), compared to "masa" or class D (+26), and poorest class E (+4).

It was stronger among men (+34) compared to women (+13).

Support for President Duterte's move hardly varied across age groups.

It was stronger among those with more years of formal schooling: +47 among college graduates, compared to moderately strong levels of +26, +17, and +11 among high school graduates, elementary school graduates, and non-elementary school graduates, respectively.

SWS also found that 54 percent agreed (30 percent strongly agree, 23 percent somewhat agree), and 28 percent disagreed (12 percent somewhat disagree, 17 percent strongly disagree), with the Congress decision last July to approve President Duterte's proposal to extend martial law in the whole of Mindanao until end of 2017.

This gives a net agreement score of +25.

Support for the Congress decision was highest in Mindanao at +42 net agreement (64 percent agree, 22 percent disagree), followed by rest of Luzon at +22 (50 percent agree, 28 percent disagree), Metro Manila at +22 (55 percent agree, 33 percent disagree), and Visayas at +16 (49 percent agree, 34 percent disagree).

It was higher in overall urban areas (+30), compared to overall rural areas (+21).

It was stronger among class ABC (+49), compared to class D (+28), and class E (neutral +6).

Support for the Congress decision was also stronger among men (+35), compared to women (+16).

It hardly varied across age groups, but was stronger among those with more years of formal schooling: +47 among college graduates, compared to +32 among high school graduates, +18 among elementary school graduates, and +6 among non-elementary school graduates.

Additionally, net satisfaction (percent satisfied minus percent dissatisfied) with President Duterte's performance was +12 among those who opposed his proposal to extend martial law in Mindanao, lower compared to those who supported his proposal (+68) and those who were undecided (+46).

Net satisfaction with the national administration was +34 among those who opposed President Duterte's proposal, lower compared to those who supported it (+72) and those who were undecided (+57).

Both President Duterte and the national administration also received lower net satisfaction ratings among those who opposed the Congress decision to approve the President's proposal to extend martial law in Mindanao.

Net satisfaction with President Duterte was +16 among those who opposed the Congress decision, lower compared to those who supported it (+67) and those who were undecided (+39).

Meanwhile, net satisfaction with the national administration was +38 among those who opposed the Congress decision, lower compared to those who supported it (+70) and those who were undecided (+52).