President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (Presidential file photo)
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained high approval and trust rating amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, a recent survey showed.
In the first quarter poll of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. which rated the performance of top government officials, Duterte acquired a 65 percent approval rating, nominally lower than his 70 percent rating in December 2020.
The poll showed 19 percent disapproved of Duterte’s performance as the country’s highest elected official.
Duterte also registered a 55 percent trust rating, lower than his 62 percent rating in December 2020 while 22 percent had low trust in Duterte.
Vice President Leni Robredo, who secured the third spot in terms of approval rating, registered a 29 percent approval rating. This figure is six points lower than her 35 percent approval rating in December 2020.
She has the highest disapproval rating among the government officials surveyed which stood at 34 percent, the same as her disapproval rating three months ago.
Robredo got a 19 percent trust rating, lower than her 23 percent trust rating in December 2020.
She is also the government official with the highest "low trust" rating at 49 percent. Her low trust rating three months ago was 42 percent.
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III finished second place in terms of approval rating at 41 percent. This figure is six points lower than his approval rating of 47 percent in December 2020.
Sotto registered a trust rating of 25 percent, five points lower than his trust rating of 30 percent three months ago.
House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who was last on the list in terms of approval, registered a 25 percent approval rating, which is five points lower than his 30 percent approval rating in December 2020.
Velasco has a 15 percent trust rating, which is three points lower than his 18 percent trust rating three months ago.
Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta registered a 28 percent approval rating, three points lower than his 31 percent approval rating in December 2020.
He acquired a 15 percent trust rating, four points lower than his 19 percent trust rating three months ago.
Meanwhile, the top three agencies in terms of approval were the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (61 percent), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (60 percent), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (57 percent).
The most trusted agencies are AFP (44 percent), TESDA (43 percent) and Department of Science and Technology (35 percent).
PUBLiCUS is an independent, non-commissioned, national poll covering nine modules: state of the economy and economic prospects, Covid vaccine prioritization and openness to safety protocols, national issues, scorecard for national leaders and institutions, emotional quotient of incumbent and prospective leaders, media consumption habits and responses to media campaigns, predisposition, blended learning, and new normal consumption habits.
The survey was conducted from March 20 to 29, a time when the country was already experiencing a surge in Covid-19 infections. (PNA)
