High prices pull down Duterte approval, trust ratings

President Duterte

Gut issues are pulling down the approval and trust ratings of President Rodrigo Duterte.

His approval and trust ratings saw double-digit declines early this month, plunging to their lowest levels, as soaring prices of basic commodities hurt consumers, especially the poor, who spend a big part of their income on food.

Results of a Pulse Asia survey released on Tuesday showed the President’s approval and trust scores declining 13 points and 15 points, respectively, although a majority of Filipinos still approve of his work and expressed trust in him.

Read: Duterte’s approval, trust ratings suffer double-digit drop – Pulse Asia

The President’s approval rating stood at 75 percent and trust rating at 72 percent, both his lowest since September 2016.

His ratings fell among all socioeconomic classes and across geographic areas.

The biggest declines were in Class D, the poor, who gave him an approval rating of 74 percent, down 13 points and trust rating of 71 percent, down 16 points.

Approval ratings of the President in Class ABC — the rich and middle class — as well as in Class E, the poorest of the poor, also recorded double-digit declines.

Unperturbed

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President was unperturbed by ratings and was focused on doing his job.

“We are not affected by it because the President will do his best to discharge his duties,” he said at a news briefing.

Roque said rising inflation could have caused the drop in the ratings because higher rice prices negated the administration’s gains in other areas.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 1 to 7, when the Philippine Statistics Authority reported nationwide inflation in August hit 6.4 percent year-on-year, a nine-year high.

Read: Inflation hits new 9-year high of 6.4% in August

Inflation was higher in Metro Manila at 7 percent and highest in the Bicol region at 9 percent.

Prices of food and nonalcoholic beverages rose further to 8.4 percent.

Soaring rice prices

Rice prices, especially those of commercial varieties, skyrocketed last month amid the depleted stocks of the National Food Authority, which sells cheap rice consumed by the poor.

In areas like Zamboanga City and Tawi-Tawi province, prices of commercial rice rose to P70 to P80 per kilogram, prompting their local governments to declare a state of calamity.

Read: Zamboanga City under state of calamity due to rice shortage

Rising fuel prices, weakening of peso, low supply of certain commodities and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act were also blamed for the rising cost of living.

The TRAIN law raised the excise on goods such as oil, cigarettes, sugary drinks and vehicles to compensate for a higher tax-exempt personal income.

‘Withering appeal’

“The (President’s) populist appeal has withered as people suffer from inflation and economic uncertainty,” Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said in a statement.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said people were “feeling the worsening difficulties, which can no longer be covered up by empty promises.”

“It’s the economy; it’s the food prices; it’s the jobs,” Zarate added.

Highest among officials

Even so, Roque noted that the President’s trust and approval ratings were the highest among top officials.

The approval and trust ratings of Vice President Leni Robredo were essentially unchanged between June and September.

Robredo got an approval rating of 61 percent in September from 62 percent in June and a trust rating of 56 percent, unchanged from June.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III obtained an approval rating of 73 percent and a trust rating of 66 percent.

Distrust in Arroyo

Forty-three percent expressed distrust of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Only 19 percent trusted her.

Villarin said the installation of Arroyo as Speaker in July may have also contributed to the decline in the President’s trust ratings.

Read: With House sound system dead, Arroyo takes oath as new Speaker

“[Arroyo] became the lightning rod that absorbed people’s distrust in Duterte’s administration,” he said.

The approval rating of the House of Representatives declined 10 points to 56 percent, while that of the Senate dropped 6 points to 63 percent.

The Supreme Court’s approval rating declined 11 points to 52 percent.

Pulse Asia interviewed 1,800 adults and used a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points. —Reports from Christine O. Avendaño, Melvin Gascon, Jerome Aning and Leila B. Salaverria; Ana Roa, Inquirer Research; and the wires