Pulse Asia: 69% of Filipinos think drug war is Duterte’s most important achievement

The survey results released on Monday, July 23 – on the same day of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) where he is expected to discuss his stint’s achievements, discovered that 69 percent of 1,800 adults nationwide rated the controversial war on drugs as his best feat upon assuming office on June 30, 2016. (FILE: ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

Poll results by Pulse Asia revealed that a “sizeable” majority of Filipinos consider the administration’s campaign to eradicate illegal drugs as the President’s “most important accomplishment.”

The survey results released on Monday, July 23, on the same day of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) where he is expected to discuss his stint’s achievements, discovered that 69 percent of 1,800 adults nationwide rated the controversial war on drugs as his best feat upon assuming office on June 30, 2016.

Fighting criminality came in second at 50 percent, followed by the salary increase for police and soldiers at 30 percent, campaign against graft and corruption in the government at 28 percent, and the free tuition in public universities and colleges came in as fifth at 21 percent.

Other options included creating more jobs, restoring the people’s trust in the government and its officials, improving the national economy, five-year driver’s license validity, reducing the power of many Filipinos, controlling inflation, 10-year passport validity, no deposit in hospitals, lowering of personal income tax, and free wi-fi in public places.

Geographically speaking, most from the National Capital Region (NCR) voted for the war on drugs at 77 percent; followed by Mindanao at 73 percent, then by the Visayas at 71 percent, and finally Luzon at 64 percent.

Majority of the ABC classes mirrored the same votes at 74 percent, followed by class E at 70 percent, and D at 68 percent.

Pulse Asia asked the respondents the question, “In your opinion, what is the most important accomplishment of President Duterte and his administration ever since they held office? You may choose up to three. What is the first?” in its fieldwork from June 15 to 21.

Respondents were given 15 options to choose from in the survey.

SONA emphasis

In the same survey, the respondents were asked what topic they wanted Duterte to emphasize on his annual address?

Most wanted the President to talk about continuing creating more jobs which landed at 56 percent.

Fifty-two percent voted for him to discuss continuing to control inflation, 48 percent on improving or increasing the pay of workers, 33 percent on reducing the poverty of many Filipinos further, and 27 percent on the end of endo (end of contract) or contractualization.

Other topics were continuing the fight against illegal drugs, continuing the fight against corruption, asserting our right and protect our territorial sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, federalism, and charter change.

The interest on talks on the campaigns on illegal drugs and corruption which were at 26 percent and 16 percent respectively were at the bottom five of this survey were included in the top five “best achievements” of Duterte according to Pulse Asia’s other survey.