President Duterte’s administration received an “excellent” net satisfaction rating in December, a month before the implementation of a new tax law that has led to hefty increases in fuel prices that are expected to drive up transport costs and power rates.
Seventy-nine percent of Filipinos were satisfied with the administration while 9 percent were dissatisfied, giving it a net satisfaction score (satisfied minus dissatisfied) of +70, according to Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The Duterte administration’s satisfaction rating, a 12-point rise from its score in September last year, was the highest in 28 years for any administration.
The survey had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.
SWS considers a rating of at least +70 excellent and +50 to +69, very good.
Palace elated
Malacañang was elated with the results of the SWS survey.
“This excellent public confidence will continue to motivate the President and his team to continue working hard to lay down the conditions of a peaceful and prosperous nation,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing in Legazpi City.
Roque pointed out that the rating was a record high.
“Our people recognized the efforts of the Duterte administration when they rated the present government very good in fighting terrorism, helping the poor and maintenance of public works correlation to providing jobs,” he said.
The Duterte administration’s rating exceeded the previous record of +66 achieved by the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III in June 2013.
Before new tax law
SWS polled 1,200 adults from Dec. 8 to 16 before the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) law took effect.
Republic Act No. 10963, or the TRAIN Act, lowered starting Jan. 1 the personal income tax of workers but raised the excise on goods and services such as oil products, coal, tobacco, cars and cosmetic procedures.
Some lawmakers said the excise on oil products would cause a domino effect and a price shock that would adversely affect the poor.
The increase in fuel prices have transport groups clamoring for fare increases and power distributors announcing that their rates would go up.
The Department of Finance, however, claims that price increases due to the excise on fuel would be minimal.
Undiminished popularity
Political analyst Ramon Casiple said the latest survey showed Mr. Duterte’s popularity had not diminished, despite drawing international criticism for his bloody war on drugs and human rights record.
“It is related to his actions, because he implemented what he promised, starting with his antidrug campaign, and then the ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure projects, anticorruption efforts and now the Charter change to shift to federalism,” he said.
The increase in the administration’s net satisfaction rating was due to record-high or steady scores across areas and economic classes or both.
By area, net satisfaction scores of the administration rose to record highs in Mindanao (from +74 in September to +87 in December), in Metro Manila (from +51 to +71) and in the rest of Luzon (from +52 to +67).
It remained at +57 in the Visayas.
Socioeconomic class
By socioeconomic class, the administration’s net satisfaction rating rose by one grade among Class D (from “very good” +60 to “excellent” +71) and among Class E (from “good” +46 to “very good” +66). It stayed “very good” among class ABC (from +60 to +62).
In tackling national issues, the government posted improved ratings in fighting terrorism (from +47 to +67), building and maintenance of public works like roads and bridges (from +40 to +59), foreign relations (from +40 to +55), telling the truth to the people (from +15 to +47), ensuring that no family will ever be hungry (from +29 to +33).
Solving extrajudicial killings (from +22 to +30), ensuring that oil companies do not take advantage of oil prices (from +5 to +30), reconciling with Muslim rebels (from +38 to +48), reconciling with communist rebels (from +35 to +43), fighting crimes (from +30 to +43) and eradicating graft and corruption (from +35 to +42).
Net satisfaction rating hardly changed in the following areas: helping the poor (from +67 to +66), providing jobs (+50), protecting human rights (from +46 to +45), fighting inflation (from +21 to +24) and resolving the traffic problem (from +22 to +23).
The rating declined in ensuring an efficient public system (from +48 to +42) and in defending the country’s territorial rights (from +52 to +46). —REPORTS FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH, LEILA B. SALAVERRIA