MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – As he neared his first 100 days in power, President Rodrigo Duterte obtained a “very good” +64 net satisfaction rating in a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Thursday, October 6.

The survey, first published in BusinessWorld, was conducted from September 24 to 27. It involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide.

The survey results showed that 76% of Filipinos are satisfied with Duterte’s performance so far, 11% dissatisfied, and 13% undecided, for a net rating of +64.

Duterte’s rating is higher than the +60 net rating of President Benigno Aquino III in the survey taken during the same period in his administration, and the second highest among Chief Executives polled by the SWS.

During and before the survey period, the Senate began its probe into extrajudicial killings related to the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs, which featured, among others, Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed former member of the Davao Death Squad who alleged that the President ordered the summary execution of suspected criminals.

During this time, the President accused Senator Leila de Lima of benefiting from the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison when she was justice secretary, the subject of an ongoing congressional inquiry. He also revealed lists of alleged drug personalities, some of whom he later apologized to for being included in the list. (READ: Aguirre: Another mistake in drug matrix)

The campaign against illegal drugs drew public support and criticism as the related deaths tipped 3,500 a week before the new government’s first 100 days in office. Duterte unleashed repeated tirades against his foreign critics, among them, US President Barack Obama, the US government, the United Nations, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and the European Union.

Prior to the survey period, Duterte announced his planned “independent foreign policy” which pointed to a thawing of ties with the US, and forging strong ties with China and Russia. 

The survey period did not cover the President’s controversial reference to Adolf Hitler, which prompted him to issue a public apology to the Jewish community. (READ: Duterte: I’m being portrayed as a ‘cousin of Hitler’)

Across the board

Duterte’s satisfaction rating is high across the board – in terms of geographical location, age, and educational attainment. But it is highest in his home region, Mindanao, where he got a +85 net satisfaction rating. 

He got a net rating of +58 in the National Capital Region, +57 in Balance Luzon, and +62 in the Visayas. 

Duterte obtained majority approval even among women – a +58 net rating. This is despite criticism against his actions towards women, particularly De Lima whom he had portrayed as an “immoral woman” alleged to have a sex video with her former driver and bodyguard, as he linked her to the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison.

The survey respondents were asked: “Maaari po bang pakisabi ninyo kung gaano kayo nasisiyahan o hindi nasisiyahan sa pagganap ng tungkulin ni RODRIGO DUTERTE bilang Presidente ng Pilipinas. Kayo ba ay lubos na nasisiyahan, medyo nasisiyahan, hindi tiyak kung nasisiyahan o hindi, medyo hindi nasisiyahan, lubos na hindi nasisiyahan, o wala pa kayong narinig o nabasa kahit na kailan tungkol kay RODRIGO DUTERTE?”

(“Please tell me how satisfied or dissatisfied you are in the performance of RODRIGO DUTERTE as President of the Philippines. Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, undecided if satisfied or dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, very dissatisfied, or you have not ever heard or read anything about RODRIGO DUTERTE?”)

Malacañang, on Thursday, welcomed the results of the survey. Presidential Spokesman and Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said the results are an indication that “the people, in spite of the noise, continue to trust the President.”

Next to FVR

Among Philippine presidents polled by the SWS, only Fidel V. Ramos got a better net rating of +66 – also categorized as “very good” – in a survey conducted from August 10 to September 8, 1992. 

Duterte’s predecessor, Aquino, also obtained a “very good” rating with +60 in a September 24 to 27, 2010 survey. 

Others who got a “very good” rating in the same period are Joseph Estrada with +60 in a survey conducted from September 11 to 29, 1998, and Corazon Aquino with +53 in a poll held from May 2 to June 6, 1986.

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo garnered only a +24 or “moderate” rating after she was sworn into office after Estrada was ousted and then only a +12 or “moderate” rating after winning the presidency in 2004. 

The SWS net satisfaction ratings are classified as follows:

• +70: “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 sampling error margins for national percentages in the SWS survey is ±3 percentage points, while the sampling error margins for the major regions – Metro Manila, Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – are ±6 points each. – Rappler.com