Duterte’s 80% approval rating due to effective governance: Aguirre

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said President Rodrigo Duterte’s steady approval rating of 80 percent, as shown in a recent nationwide survey, is the result of his effective governance. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said President Rodrigo Duterte’s steady approval rating of 80 percent, as shown in a recent nationwide survey, is the result of his effective governance.

“That nothing can beat sincerity, humility and effective good governance in so far as the people’s perception is concerned. That the people could see through lies, perversions of truth and outright deceptions,” Aguirre told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) when asked to comment on the President’s high approval rating.

In a nationwide survey on the performance and trust ratings of top Philippine government officials, conducted by Pulse Asia last month, Duterte received an approval rating of 80 percent, slightly lower than 82 percent in June.

A total of 7 percent of Filipinos expressed disapproval of his work, while 13 percent were undecided. Some 80 percent of those surveyed said they trust the President, 14 percent were undecided, and 6 percent distrust him or has small trust.

Across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, Duterte enjoyed majority approval ratings at 72 percent to 92 percent, and 75 percent to 86 percent, respectively. Trust figures were at 72 percent to 93 percent, and 74 percent to 85 percent, respectively.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 24 to 30 using face-to-face interviews, also said enjoying majority approval and trust scores, albeit lower ones, are Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo (57 percent and 55 percent, respectively) and Senate President Aquilino L. Pimentel III (55 percent and 52 percent).

“While the performance and trust ratings of the President and the Vice President are essentially unchanged between June and September 2017, the other top national government officials experience marked movements in their own ratings both at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic classes,” it said.

Among the key events during the survey period were the Senate investigation into the shipment of illegal drugs worth PHP6.4 billion, the Senate hearing on the suspected hazing death of law student Horacio Castillo III, and the sacking of virtually the entire Caloocan City police force in the aftermath of the killing of teenagers Karl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman.

The nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults, 18 years old and above.