Positive ratings for president has impacted Senate candidates

The high satisfaction rating of President Rodrigo Duterte “rubbed off” on his candidates for senator in the midterm elections, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said, as four of five core bets are poised to enter the Senate.

Based on partial and official results, Partido Demoktratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) bets Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, Francis Tolentino and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd were well within the coveted “Magic 12.”

Only Maguindanao Rep. Zajid “Toto” Mangudadatu was not in the winning circle, ranking 19th.

The latest Social Weather Stations survey found that 81% of Filipinos voiced satisfaction with the government for the first quarter of 2019.

“It is obvious that the president did a lot, the list is long. From the free education in state universities and colleges and the free medicines — including the people with disabilities — free PhilHealth, Universal Healthcare Law and free irrigation. The president did a lot,” Andanar said.

“We can attribute (the

success of the administration Senate bets) to President Duterte, because you can really see… when you see the survey, he was able to garner a high ranking when it comes to solving poverty. The satisfaction rating of adult Filipinos, 81%, it rubbed off on the candidates,” he added.

Andanar said voters might have been insulted by the “dirty propaganda” allegedly waged by the opposition against Duterte.

Days before the midterm polls, Malacanang released matrices tagging the opposition Otso Diretso slate, the Liberal Party and the Magdalo group in an “oust Duterte” plot.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the parties involved were not only colluding to unseat the president, but was also using it to “boost” candidacies of the opposition candidates.

All parties involved denied their involvement in the alleged plot.

All eight members of the opposition ticket failed to land a spot in the Magic 12.

“For me, although we have to be magnanimous in victory, the opposition should think of the strategies they did wrong and, maybe, they should listen to the heart of the masses,” he added.