‘Rody’s ratings rebound not surprising’
President Duterte’s 10-point rebound in net satisfaction in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey is not surprising, considering that he did good in pushing for the welfare of Filipinos, including the 10 million migrant workers abroad, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said yesterday.
“It’s normal for survey numbers to go up and down but in the case of President Duterte, he has certainly performed in a way that Filipinos can’t help but be satisfied with his output. Even his critics would have to give him credit,” Nograles said.
The SWS survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 16 showed that Duterte’s net satisfaction rating increased to 58 percent (very good) from 48 percent (good) last September.
“If we look at what the country has achieved since, the President has proven not only to Filipinos but to the entire world that he is an effective leader who knows how to act and listen,” Nograles said.
He pointed out that during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vietnam last November, Duterte was all business when he continued to strengthen ties with old friends and new allies China and Russia. This hardworking attitude was carried over to Manila’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which Duterte chaired.
Nograles, chairman of the House appropriations committee, also noted that the former Davao City mayor achieved a legacy-defining moment when he signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.
“The impact of this document can never be understated as it will affect millions of lives across the globe, not just Filipinos,” the lawmaker stressed.
He cited the Fitch Rating upgrade of the country’s investment rating as “the best proof that President Duterte is not just managing the economy well but has in fact surpassed his predecessors in terms of performance.” “This should be enough to refute claims being made by his critics that his war against illegal drugs has sidetracked government’s focus to improve the country’s economy,” Nograles added.
As for the anti-drug campaign, he said Duterte has shown that “he is open to criticism and, more importantly, willing to act on the public’s concerns regarding this endeavor.” Super majority coalition member Rep. Salvador Belaro Jr. of the 1-Ang Edukasyon party-list couldn’t agree more and predicted that Duterte’s ratings might even reach the “excellent” status in the first quarter of 2018 when the impact of the new income tax brackets and higher exemptions would be felt.
“For a change, the working middle class is getting the attention it also deserves from the government,” he maintained. “No amount of black propaganda can negate the comfort millions of Filipinos will feel every day of their lives from now on.”
Public satisfaction with President Duterte rebounded by 10 points to return to “very good” in the fourth quarter, with 71 percent of 1,200 respondents saying they were satisfied with the performance of the President. At least 13 percent said they were dissatisfied while the remaining 15 percent were undecided.
The net satisfaction rating is derived by subtracting the percentage of those claiming to be dissatisfied with the administration from those satisfied.
SWS classifies net trust ratings 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.
The latest survey also showed that satisfaction with Duterte increased across all geographic areas and socioeconomic classes.
Net satisfaction with the President rose from “good” to “very good” in Metro Manila (from +44 in September to +55 in December), rest of Luzon (from +36 to +50) and the Visayas (from +43 to +53).
His net satisfaction rating stayed “excellent” in Mindanao, increasing by four points from +76 to +80. He also obtained “very good” net satisfaction rating among respondents in urban (from +48 to +63) and rural areas (from +47 to +54).
The President’s net satisfaction rating stayed “very good” among respondents in class ABC, up by nine points from +57 to +66. It also rose from “good” to “very good” among respondents from class D (+49 to +57) and E (+35 to +65).
Duterte also obtained “very good” net satisfaction ratings among all genders, as well as respondents in all education levels. The survey had a margin of error of +/- three percent for the national percentages.
By JESS DIAZ