MANILA -- Majority of Filipinos continue to appreciate the Duterte administration’s relentless campaign against illegal drugs, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The 2018 Third Quarter SWS survey found that 76 percent of the 1,500 respondents are satisfied with the war on drugs, while 12 percent were dissatisfied, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of +64.
The net satisfaction rating was one-point below the second quarter survey but remains classified as "very good".
According to the SWS survey conducted on Sept. 15-23, satisfaction with the government’s war on drugs was at an excellent +76 when it was first surveyed in September 2016. It was highest in December 2016 at an excellent +77.
“However, it has been at the +63 to +66 (very good) range since March 2017, reaching its lowest rating of +63 in September 2017,” the SWS said.
Despite falling from +84 in June 2018 to +70 in September 2018, the campaign against illegal drugs’ net satisfaction stayed excellent in Mindanao.
It stayed very good in Metro Manila although down by 12 points from +67 to +55, the lowest since September 2016.
The SWS survey also showed that net satisfaction with the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte was higher among those satisfied with the war on drugs.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said the survey was expected since majority of Filipinos support the President’s campaign against illegal drugs, as well as corruption and criminality.
“That is expected because at the inception, the President believes that the majority of the Filipinos are -- if not overwhelming majority -- support his drive against drugs and criminality, as well as corruption,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace press briefing on Thursday.
Last Tuesday, Duterte said he will issue a memorandum circular, directing the entire government machinery to mobilize its assets and to take an active role in the anti-illegal drug campaign nationwide.
Duterte said he also wants to form a task force on anti-illegal drugs composed of different law enforcement agencies.
The task force will be composed of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Coast Guard, and other government agencies. (PNA)
