SWS: Net satisfaction with Duterte hits record high

Net satisfaction with President Rodrigo Duterte's performance reached a record-high after his first year in office, results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey revealed Friday.

The June 23-26 survey showed 78 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with the President's performance compared to 12 percent dissatisfied and 10 percent undecided. This resulted to a net satisfaction rating of +66, marking a new personal record high for Duterte.

• Duterte keeps 'very good' net satisfaction rating: SWS

The President got a net satisfaction rating of +63 (75% satisfied against 12% dissatisfied) last March.

Results of the survey were first published in BusinessWorld.

A total of 1,200 adults nationwide were interviewed for the survey. The survey has sampling error margins of ±3 points for national percentages, as well as ±6 points each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS said the new peak rating was buoyed by increases in the Visayas and Luzon areas outside Metro Manila that offset a sharp drop in his bailiwick, Mindanao, which nevertheless kept the best score.

The President's net satisfaction rating rose by one grade and 11 points to an “excellent” +73 (83% satisfied, 10% dissatisfied) in the Visayas, from +62 (75% satisfied, 12% dissatisfied, rounded off) in March.

It stayed "very good" in "Balance Luzon", rising seven points to +58 from +51.

Net rating in Mindanao dropped 12 points -- although it stayed "excellent" -- to +75 (83% satisfied, 8% dissatisfied) from +87 (89% satisfied, 3% dissatisfied, rounded off).

It stayed “very good” in Metro Manila, “hardly moving” at +63 from +64.

BusinessWorld reported Duterte's net satisfaction rating remained
“very good” across socioeconomic classes. It was highest among class E respondents at +67, up seven points from the first quarter’s +60.

Net satisfaction also rose to +59 among ABC respondents, edging up just three points from +56 and +66 in class D from +64.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the latest SWS rating showed "tacit public support for the President’s action following the rebellion in Marawi.”

The Supreme Court earlier upheld President Rodrigo Duterte's Proclamation No. 216 declaring martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the entire southern Philippine region of Mindanao

• SC upholds martial law in Mindanao

Speaking to ANC on Friday, UST Political Science Prof. Edmund Tayao said the President's declaration of martial law is a major factor in the survey results since people may have viewed it as proof of Duterte's decisiveness.

"The public remains at the very least, still believing in what the president is doing and what he’s capable of doing," he said.

"It’s (martial law) a major factor I have to say because it’s the most significant act or development that everyone has been talking about," he added.

The President last May 23 placed the entire island of Mindanao under military rule after clashes between state forces and ISIS-inspired extremists erupted in Marawi City.

The clashes, which have lasted for over a month, have yielded 479 deaths as of Thursday including 353 terror suspects, 87 government troops, and 39 civilians.