STILL POPULAR. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte takes a bow before the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) during the "Araw ng Pasasalamat" for the OFWs at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on July 12, 2019. Malacañang on Thursday (July 18) expressed confidence that Duterte will sustain his high approval and trust ratings until the end of his term in 2022. (Rey Baniquet/Presidential Photo)
MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday expressed confidence that President Rodrigo Duterte will sustain his high approval and trust ratings until the end of his term in 2022.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after a recent Pulse Asia Survey showed that Duterte remained the government official with the highest approval and trust ratings, both at 85 percent.
The survey was conducted weeks after Filipinos have been preoccupied by news on the alleged ramming and abandonment of a Filipino fishing boat in the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) by a Chinese vessel on June 9.
"Every time na that issue is raised, binabanatan siya ng husto. Pero—eh iyong survey na iyan kinuha iyan at the height of the Reed Bank incident. So factored na iyon doon sa mga tinanungan (Every time that issue is raised, he's being badly criticized. But the survey was conducted at the height of the Reed Bank incident. So that is factored in the questions)," Panelo said in a Palace media briefing.
Panelo said the survey should “awaken the critics and the detractors from their slumber and/or sleep, that all the criticisms against this President relative to drugs vis-à-vis the West Philippine Sea and other issues of national interest are all wrong – no basis.”
Despite the opposition’s warning that Duterte’s ratings would eventually drop, Panelo said the chief executive’s ratings continue to skyrocket.
“For every issue that is thrown at him with such negative force, the detractors and the opposition keep saying the rating will go down. But the more they say that, the more it goes up,” Panelo said.
“If that is not a powerful language to them, I don’t know what is not,” he added.
Meanwhile, Panelo said he was not surprised by Duterte’s high approval and trust rating given the number of his accomplishments as the country’s top leader.
“Not surprising. It keeps on increasing, simply because the President is a very transparent leader, his political will shows in every measure or step he has undertaken; it shows how sincere he is, and the people are satisfied with his method of governance,” Panelo said.
Like Panelo, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte’s high approval and trust rating reflected the public’s perception on the promise of change amid criticism from the opposition.
“Nararamdaman talaga ng publiko ang mga pagbabago sa bansa natin -- ang sinsiridad, ang malasakit ng ating mahal na Pangulo (The public can really feel the change in our country –t he sincerity, the concern of our dear President),” Andanar said in a statement.
“Kaya kahit anong banat ng mga kalaban natin sa pulitika, dito man sa loob ng Pilipinas o sa labas ng Pilipinas, ay taliwas yung mga kritisismo sa gingawa ng ating gabinete at ng ating mahal na Pangulo (The criticism coming from his political enemies here in the Philippines or outside the Philippines is contrary to what the Cabinet and our President is doing),” he added.
Andanar further said no other President has achieved the feat of maintaining high approval and trust ratings.
“Wala na yatang ibang pangulo sa bansa natin na sa pagpasok ng ika-apat na taon ay ganoon pa rin kataas, at lalong tumataas (No other President in the country has achieved ratings this high upon entering his fourth year in office),” Andanar said.
Apart from the Pulse Asia survey, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey earlier this month also showed a record-high rating for President Duterte, with 80 percent of Filipinos satisfied with his performance. (PNA)
