DOF says consumers approve of Duterte war on illegal drugs
Philippine consumers approved of the way the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is dealing with the drug problem of the country, the Finance Department said Monday in a report from GMA News.
"According to the BSP, the overall confidence index registered its highest reading for the third quarter of this year, and one of the reasons cited by our countrymen for their optimism was the improvement in the peace and order situation and the campaign against drugs.
"This shows that they approve of the President's tough hand in dealing with the illicit drug problem," Finance Spokesperson Paula Alvarez said in an emailed statement.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Friday released the results of its Consumer Expectations Survey — a quarterly poll which measures consumer optimism — which showed the confidence index (CI) reached a record high during the third quarter, which coincides with the first three months of the Duterte administration.
According
to
the central bank, the CI rose to 2.5 percent from -6.4 percent — the first positive net score since the nationwide survey began in 2007.
The higher confidence level also reflected other factors such as the availability of more jobs, stable commodity prices, and expectations of an increase in salaries.
Malacañang heralded late last month the success of the administration's campaign against illegal drugs, with the hundreds of thousands of drug users surrendering to the authorities.
Philippine National Police (PNP) records show nearly 600,000 of those supposedly involved in illegal drugs have surrendered to authorities as of August.
However, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (Am-Cham) has raised its concern over the mounting body count as a result of the war against drugs.
"Certainly, the illegal drug menace is a serious threat in the Philippines, as it is in the US and elsewhere. However, the increased number of killings during the heightened anti-drug campaign is harming the country's image, as portrayed by international media, and some investors are now asking whether this campaign reduced the rule of law."