SWS: 66% satisfied with Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte MALACAÑANG PHOTO

President Duterte achieved a personal best in public approval ratings last month after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +66.

In its June 23 to 26 poll of 1,200 respondents nationwide, SWS said 78 percent said they were satisfied with the President’s work while 12 percent were dissatisfied, for a net satisfaction rating (satisfied minus dissatisfied) of +66 in June.

The satisfaction rating, which has a three-point margin of error, was up three points from Mr. Duterte’s net rating of +63 (75 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in March.

But his satisfaction rating in Mindanao dropped 12 points from +87 in March to +75 June although this was offset by gains in other parts of the country, the survey found.

In particular, Mr. Duterte’s net satisfaction rating was highest in the Visayas where it increased from +62 to an “excellent” +73.

His satisfaction also rose by seven points +51 to +58 in Luzon areas outside Metro Manila and also increased from +63 to +64 to +63 in Metro Manila itself.

The survey was conducted a month after Mr. Duterte signed Proclamation No. 216, declaring martial law, and Malacañang claimed the survey proved public support for martial law.

“It shows tacit public support to the President’s action following the rebellion in Marawi,” said Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella.

“This positive acknowledgement of the Filipino people further motivates the administration to work for the restoration of normalcy in Marawi and to start its rehabilitation as well as bring a comfortable life for all Filipinos, including Muslim Filipinos,” he added.

The President’s net satisfaction score rose and was classified “very good” in all socioeconomic classes: from +56 to +59, among classes ABC; from +64 to +66 among class D and from +60 to +67 among class E.

By locale, net scores rose in urban areas from a “very good” +63 in March to “very good” +68 in June. It was the same in rural areas at “very good” +63.

Among males, it remained “very good” but dipped from +65 to +63. It also stayed “very good” among females but increased from +61 to +69.

SWS considers a rating of plus 70 and above as “excellent”; plus 50 to plus 69, “very good”; plus 30 to plus 49, “good”; plus 10 to plus 29, “moderate”; plus 9 to minus 9, “neutral”; minus 10 to minus 29, “poor.” —INQUIRER RESEARCH, PHILIP C. TUBEZA