Public satisfaction with Duterte dips among poorest – SWS

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – While President Rodrigo Duterte retained a “very good” public satisfaction rating in the first quarter of 2018, there was a significant dip in satisfaction for his performance among the poorest Filipinos, a new survey shows.

The Social Weather Stations survey, made public on Wednesday, April 11, but conducted from March 23 to 27, found that 70% of adult Filipinos say they are satisfied with him, while 14% are dissatisfied. Those undecided were at 17%.

This resulted in a net satisfaction rating of +56 – a decline of two points from the +58 rating in December 2017.

The survey also shows Duterte’s rating among class E went down by 17 points from his December rating.

Satisfaction in this class was at +48 in March, compared to +65 in December last year.

This pulled Duterte’s grade from “very good” to “good” in that class.

Duterte’s rating also suffered in Balance of Luzon. It went down by 11 points: from +50 in December to +39 in March.

This made his grade fall from “very good” to “good” in this region.

The latest SWS survey shows Duterte fared better than his predecessor when it comes to satisfaction ratings by his second year as president.

This time in 2012, during the 1st quarter survey that year, Benigno Aquino III scored a net satisfaction rating of +49 for a grade of “good.” It was found that 68% were satisfied with him while 19% were dissatisfied. Interestingly, Aquino, like Duterte, suffered most from a decline in ratings in the Balance of Luzon. The 15-point decline in that region then had also pulled down his national score.

Declining satisfaction in cities

The decline in satisfaction among the poor and in Balance of Luzon, however, was compensated by a 12-point increase in the Visayas.

Net satisfaction rating for the President in the Visayas was at +65 in March, from +53 in December, still within the “very good” grade.

There was also a 2-point increase in net satisfaction in his bailiwick region of Mindanao. It went from +80 to +82, retaining an “excellent” grade for Duterte.

In Metro Manila, satisfaction for the President remained unchanged, improving by only one point, from +54 to +55.

Among the other economic classes, satisfaction for Duterte stayed “very good” among the more well-to-do Filipinos and the masa.

His rating with class ABC stayed in that grade but was down by 3 points: from +66 to +63. Among the class D, his standing remained at +57.

Also noteworthy was the 7-point decline of satisfaction for Duterte among Filipinos who live in cities.

Urban net satisfaction, though it remained at “very good,” was +56 in March compared to +63 in December.

Among Filipinos in the rural areas, however, satisfaction went up by 2 points, from +54 to +56, still a “very good” grade.

Among age groups, satisfaction among 34 to 44-year-olds and 25 to 34-year-olds stood out.

There was an 11-point decrease in satisfaction among 34 to 44-year-olds: from +63 in December to +52 in March.

Among the 25 to 35-year-olds, or the millennials, satisfaction with Duterte rose by 5 points.

In both age groups, the March satisfaction ratings are within the “very good” grade.

The 45 to 54-year-olds and those 55 years old and older still gave Duterte a “very good” grade.

The youngest age group, the 18 to 24-year-olds, continue to be the age group least happy with Duterte’s performance, giving him a grade of “good” (+48 in March, +46 in December).

Malacañang welcomed the latest public satisfaction rating of the President.

“Public confidence, as we can see, has remained high notwithstanding matters and concerns the government is handling. We are thus grateful for our people’s vote of confidence,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement on Thursday, April 12.

News-worthy events at the time

The period when the survey was conducted, March 23 to 27, was after Duterte’s string of rants against the International Criminal Court for beginning a preliminary examination into his drug war.

It was also the time when the National Food Authority was warning that its rice buffer stock was close to depletion, thus leading Duterte to order immediate importation of rice.

The wiped out NFA rice supply was thought to have led increases in rice prices, hitting the poorest households hardest.

During this week, Supreme Court justices refuted the claim of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno that they failed to submit some Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth. – Pia Ranada/Rappler.com