MANILA – A majority of Filipinos continue to approve of President Rodrigo Duterte’s performance, according to a Pulse Asia survey released Thursday.
The survey, “Comparative Performance and Trust Ratings of Presidents”, covering the May 1999 to September 2017 period, showed that as of September, 80 percent of the respondents approved of Duterte's performance, 7 percent disapproved of it, while 13 percent were undecided.
The figure was slightly lower than the result of the June 2017 survey, which ahowed that 82 percent of those surveyed approved of the President’s performance, while 5 percent disapproved of it and 12 percent were undecided.
Of the three main islands, Mindanao gave him a 92 percent approval rating, followed by Visayas with 86 percent, and Luzon (excluding Metro Manila) with 72 percent. The National Capital Region (NCR) gave him a rating of 76 percent.
The survey showed that Duterte’s ratings were higher compared to the past three presidents.
His immediate predecessor, Benigno S. Aquino III (2010-2016) came closest. Aquino’s highest approval rating was in October 2010 and September 2013 at 79 percent, with a disapproval rating of 3 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Those who were undecided were registered at 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively.
Joseph Ejercito-Estrada (1998-2001) came in next -- his highest approval rating was 74 percent that was recorded in May 1999. His disapproval rating during the said month was 9 percent and those undecided were at 16 percent.
According to the survey, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s (2001-2010) highest approval rating of 63 percent was recorded in March and October 2001, with a disapproval rating of 15 percent and 17 percent, respectively and those undecided at 21 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
Duterte's trust rating, on the other hand, was also at 80 percent last September, with 6 percent distrusting him and 14 percent undecided. This shows a slight dip from June this year, when his trust rating was 81 percent, with 5 percent distrusting him and 14 percent undecided.
The President’s trust rating was highest in Mindanao with 93 percent, followed by Visayas with 86 percent, and Luzon (excluding Metro Manila) with 72 percent. His rating in the NCR was 76 percent.
In comparison, Aquino’s highest trust rating of 80 percent was in October 2010 and November 2012, while Estrada’s highest trust rating was 49 percent in July 2000 and Macapagal-Arroyo’s was 55 percent in October 2001. (PNA)
