51% of Pinoys approve of mandatory drug testing for Grade 4 and up

At least 51 percent of Filipinos agree with the proposal of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to conduct mandatory drug testing for students Grade 4 and up, according to the Third Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey.

The same survey shows 36 percent do not approve of the proposal while 13 percent are undecided.

The net agreement with the proposal was highest in the Visayas at a very strong +47, followed by Mindanao at a moderately strong +25, with Metro Manila moderately strong at +17 and Balance Luzon at a neutral - 6.

The survey was conducted from September 15 to 23, 2018 using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults, aged 18 and above.

It was conducted nationwide with 600 in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. The sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The SWS terminology for net satisfaction ratings is as follows: +70 and above, “excellent”; +50 to +69, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”, +9 to –9, “neutral”; –10 to –29, “poor”; –30 to –49, “bad”; –50 to –69, “very bad”; –70 and below, “execrable.”

Those who agree with the proposed mandatory drug testing was highest among those who are satisfied with the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte, at a moderately strong +22 .

It was a neutral +2 among those undecided about the President's performance, and a neutral -4 among those dissatisfied.

The net satisfaction with the performance of Duterte was high among those satisfied with his drug campaign at a very good +67, compared to the good +31 among those undecided, and the neutral -4 among those dissatisfied with the campaign.

Meanwhile, the net satisfaction with Duterte administration's campaign against illegal drugs at very good +64 or one point lower than the very good rating or +65 in June 2018 and similar to +64 in March 2018.

The satisfaction rating with the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs was at an excellent +76 when it was first surveyed in September 2016. It was highest in December 2016 at an excellent +77.

However, it has been at the +63 to +66 or very good range since March 2017, reaching its lowest rating of +63 in September 2017. — BAP, GMA News