Duterte admin’s high approval rebuffs criticism: Panelo

In his commentary show Counterpoint aired on state-run PTV-4, Panelo said the poll indicating that the current administration earned a high approval rating was a repudiation of Duterte’s critics who know nothing but find fault with the government’s actions. (File photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA – Majority of Filipinos continue to ignore criticisms against President Rodrigo Duterte as they remain appreciative of his administration’s efforts to address various pressing issues in the country, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said on Friday.

He issued the statement after Publicus Asia, in its 2020 Pahayag SONA Survey conducted on August 1 to 11, bared that most Filipinos are satisfied with the Duterte government’s work performance.

In his commentary show Counterpoint aired on state-run PTV-4, Panelo said the poll indicating that the current administration earned a high approval rating was a repudiation of Duterte’s critics who know nothing but find fault with the government’s actions.

“Ito’y taliwas sa sinasabi ng mga kritiko, ng mga oposisyon na walang naniniwala sa administrasyon (The survey runs counter to the critics and oppositions’ claim that no one believes in the administration),” he said.

The poll results, Panelo said, merely prove that many Filipinos are still convinced that the government is making the “right and timely” response to address the problems that are besetting the country, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“Ito (gobyerno) ay may ginagawa na tama at timely upang tumugon sa laban natin sa coronavirus and other related fields (It is doing the right and timely steps to fight the coronavirus and other problems),” he said.

The Duterte administration earned the highest total approval ratings on providing technical-vocational and tertiary education (75.27 percent), providing quality primary and secondary education (74.8 percent), and responding to natural disasters (73.74 percent), according to the survey conducted by Publicus.

Filipinos were also satisfied with the government’s ways of taking care of overseas Filipino workers (70.87 percent), enhancing food security (70.74 percent), maintaining peace and order (70.2 percent), and helping the poor (70.06 percent).

They were impressed with the government’s resolve to promote tourism (69.87 percent), fight corruption (69.8 percent), expand the economy (68.86 percent), generate jobs (68.86 percent), and develop infrastructure (68.6 percent).

Publicus recorded high public satisfaction on the government’s commitment to improve energy security (66.27 percent), curb terrorism (65.4 percent), resolve issues concerning the communist movement (63.53 percent), improve internal relations (61.86 percent), and manage inflation (61.67 percent).

The government enjoyed high approval scores in maintaining sovereignty (58.13 percent) and promoting free speech (56.87 percent).

Publicus’ survey also found that 64.6 percent of Filipinos approved Duterte’s work performance in the past 12 months.

Panelo said it was not surprising that Duterte continues to enjoy high approval ratings.

“Gaya nga po ng iba pang mga survey, palagi namang mataas ang satisfactory and trust rating ni Presidente (Just like what other surveys have found, the President’s satisfactory and trust rating is always high),” he said.