Duterte’s net satisfaction drops 18 points —SWS survey

President Rodrigo Duterte's net satisfaction has slid by 18 points, falling to the "good" level in the third quarter, the latest results of a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed.

According to the results of the Third Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey released on Sunday, Duterte obtained a net satisfaction rating of +48, 18 points lower than the "very good" net satisfaction rating of +66 in June 2017.

This is the lowest on record during Duterte's term, and the first time his net satisfaction rating fell below the +60 mark.

Conducted from September 23 to 27, the survey revealed that 67 percent of respondents were "satisfied," 14 percent were "undecided," and 19 percent were "dissatisfied" with Duterte's performance.

In terms of area, Duterte's net satisfaction rating saw its steepest drop in the Visayas region where it fell by 30 points, followed by the 22-point drop in Luzon, and the 19-point drop in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, his net satisfaction rating remained "excellent" in Mindanao which slightly grew to +76 from the +75 in the second quarter.

Drops were also noted in the Duterte's net satisfaction score in both the urban area (down 20 points to +48), and the rural area (down 16 points to +47).

While his net satisfaction rating remained "very good" in the ABC classes, Duterte registered a decline in classes D (down 17 points to +49) and E (down 32 points to +35).

Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the results of the latest survey.

Trust ratings fell, too

Duterte also saw a decline in his net trust ratings which fell to +60 or "very good," 15 points lower than the +75 or "excellent" in the previous quarter.

Out of all the respondents of the survey, 73 percent said they had "much trust," 15 percent were "undecided," and 12 percent had "little trust" in Duterte.

"The 18-point decline in Pres. Duterte's net satisfaction rating amid the 15-point decline in his net trust rating, between June and September 2017, resulted from the declines in his net satisfaction ratings among both those with much trust and those with little trust in him," the SWS said.

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide — 600 in Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It has a sampling error margin of ±2.5% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao).

Outcry

The survey was conducted some weeks after the deaths of teenagers Kian Loyd de los Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and Reynaldo de Guzman, which sparked nationwide outcry against extrajudicial killings and the rising death toll in Duterte's war against drugs.

Just after the survey was taken, the SWS released the results of a previous survey showing that 54 percent of Filipinos believe that many of those killed by the police did not really fight back, as the police often claimed ("nanlaban").

Eleven days before the start of the survey, the House of Representatives voted to give the Commission on Human Rights—which has criticized Duterte's supposed disregard for human rights—a budget of P1,000. Officials and representatives also caught flak for this decision, which was later reversed.

Four days before the survey started, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV flew to Singapore to belie Duterte's allegations that he has an account at DBS on Alexandra Road.

After the bank denied that the account did not exist, Duterte said he read out the wrong account number to fool Trillanes, and that the number he read out, 178000296012, was made up.

On September 26, however, Duterte said Trillanes closed his bank account in Singapore before he signed a waiver and flew out of the country to disprove the Chief Executive's claims.

Malacanang later said that Duterte's claim needed to be verified, while DBS stated that accounts could not be closed online, but only in person or through a form.

Two days before the start of the survey, the Philippines commemorated the 45th anniversary of Ferdinand Marcos' declaration of Martial Law. It was a day that Duterte previously declared would be a "national day of protest." "Lahat ng gusto pa magprotesta laban sa gobyerno, laban sa pulis, military, lahat, magbabaan kayo riyan," he told reporters.

The day was marked by protests from all sides, with National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde estimating that anti-government protesters at Rizal Park numbered around 7,500 to 8,000, while pro-government rallyists at Plaza Miranda numbered about 6,500.

Those at Mendiola, also pro-government, were more or less 3,500.

The survey was also held after Trillanes accused Duterte's son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law Manases Carpio of being involved in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment that slipped through the Bureau of Customs. Both have denied the allegation. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/ALG/BM, GMA News