Duterte’s performance, trust ratings plunge in March – Pulse Asia

April 5, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte's performance and trust ratings fell in March, an independent polling agency said on Wednesday. According to the Pulse Asia survey conducted from March 15 to 20, Duterte's performance rating was at 78 percent, lower than the 83 percent in December last year. The President's trust rating also declined by seven percentage points to 76 percent in March from 83 percent in December. But the results of the recent survey means "nearly eight in 10 Filipinos appreciate the work done by President Rodrigo R. Duterte." Pulse Asia said in the Ulat ng Bayan national survey. Those undecided toward the president's performance and trustworthiness garnered 15 percent and 18 percent of Filipinos, respectively. Duterte registered single-digit overall disapproval and distrust ratings of 7 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Except in Visayas where Duterte's performance rating improved by two percentage points to 86 percent in March from 84 percent in December, his rating in other parts of the country slightly declined. From 79 percent presidential performance rating in December, it went down to 73 percent in the National Capital Region; from 78 percent to 71 percent in Balance Luzon; and from 91 percent to 88 percent in Mindanao. Income classes ABC gave a high rating on Duterte's performance, from 69 percent in December to 86 percent in March or 17 percent improvement. But Classes D and E gave lower ratings from 84 percent in December to 78 percent in March, and from 85 percent to 77 percent, respectively. As to trust rating, residents in the NCR gave Duterte 74 percent in March from 79 percent in December; 67 percent from 77 percent in Balance Luzon; 84 percent from 87 percent in Visayas; and 90 percent from 92 percent in Mindanao. Duterte's trust ratings improved to 84 percent in March from 72 percent in December from Classes ABC; 76 percent from 83 percent from Class D; and 74 percent from 85 percent from Class E. Pulse Asia said among the developments that "preoccupied" Filipinos in the weeks leading up to the survey period and during the actual conduct of field interviews include the filing of impeacment complaint against Duterte; claims made by retired police officer Arturo Lascanas that then Mayor Duterte ordered the killings in Davao city through the Davao Death Squad; and Senate probe into the murder of a South Korean businessman by alleged police scalawags; Other issues during the period were the suspension of "Oplan Tokhang"; criticisms of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United States on Duterte's bloody war against illegal drugs; video message to the United Nations by Vice President Leni Robredo on the war on drugs; Senate probe into the alleged P50 million bribery attempt involving Immigration officials; and arrest of Senator Leila de Lima. (Celerina Monte/DMS)