The more the critics attack the administration, the higher the rating President Rodrigo Duterte gets, the Palace said on Thursday, after the Chief Executive’s net satisfaction rating remained “very good” in the first quarter Social Weather Stations survey.
According to SWS, 79 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the President’s performance, 8 percent were undecided, while 13 were dissatisfied with his leadership.
“Compared to December 2018, gross satisfaction with President Duterte rose by five points from 74 percent, gross undecided fell by 3 points from 11 percent, and gross dissatisfaction fell by two points from 15 percent,” the SWS said.
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“This gives a net satisfaction rating of +66, classified by SWS as very good,” it added, noting a six-point increase from the previous very good +60 in December last year.
According to the pollster, the six-point increase in the President’s net satisfaction rating from December last year to March this year came from all regions.
In Mindanao, Duterte’s net satisfaction rating stayed “excellent’ at a record-high +88, up by 15 points from the previous +73. It stayed “very good” in the Visayas at +69, up by 7 points from +62 last December.
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It stayed “very good” in Balance Luzon at +56, up by four points from +52 in December. It also stayed “very good” in Metro Manila at +61, up by three points from +58 three months ago.
Rural net satisfaction with the President stayed “very good” at a record-high +69, up by 12 points from +57, surpassing the previous record of +67 in September 2016.
Urban net satisfaction also stayed “very good” at +62 despite a two-point dip.
The President’s rating also remained “very good” in class ABC, marking a record-high of +69 from the previous +62.
“It stayed very good in class D or the masa, at a new record-high +68 in March, up by 10 points from +58 in December. This surpassed the previous record of +66 in June 2017,” SWS said.
“It stayed very good in class E, at +58 in March, although down by seven points from +65 in December.”
Panelo said the survey results send a “crystal clear message” that the overwhelming majority who support the President does not believe the critics’ black propaganda.
“These political adversaries are being swallowed by their own hubris. Survey after survey they are being repudiated. They appear to be ensconced if not entangled in their own web of lies that they cannot unshackle themselves from it,” he added.
Panelo said the figures serve as proof that the critics’ attempts to put the President in a bad light are simply not working.
“The critics, detractors and the political opposition have been deaf to the voice of a great majority of our people and blind to the sweeping changes in the political and social landscape affected by this unorthodox, maverick and daredevil leader who is fiercely devoted to—and protective of—the interest of the greater masses of our people,” he said.
