MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained his big majority approval and trust ratings both at 80 percent despite issues faced by his administration in the latest Pulse Asia Research survey.
In the September 2017 nationwide survey on the performance and trust ratings of the top Philippine government officials, President Duterte received an approval rating of 80 percent, slightly lower than 82 percent in June.
Seven percent of Filipinos expressed disapproval of his work, while 13 percent were undecided.
Also, a big majority of 80 percent of those surveyed trust the President, 14 percent are undecided and 6 percent distrust him or has small trust.
Across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, Duterte enjoyed majority approval ratings at 72 percent to 92 percent and 75 percent to 86 percent, respectively.
Trust figures were at 72 percent to 93 percent and 74 percent to 85 percent, respectively.
The survey, conducted from Sept. 24 to 30 using face-to-face interviews, said also enjoying majority approval and trust scores, albeit lower ones, are Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo (57 percent and 55 percent respectively) and Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III (55 percent and 52 percent).
“While the performance and trust ratings of the President and the Vice President are essentially unchanged between June and September 2017, the other top national government officials experience marked movements in their own ratings both at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic classes,” it said.
Among the key events during the survey period include Senate’s investigation into the shipment of illegal drugs worth PhP6.4 billion, the Senate’s hearing into the suspected hazing death of law student Horacio Castillo III, and the sacking of virtually the entire Caloocan City police force in the aftermath of the killing of teenagers Karl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman.
The nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above. (Leslie Gatpolintan/PNA)
