Duterte keeps ‘excellent’ trust rating

President Rodrigo Duterte's trust rating fell by three points, but remained in "excellent" category amid criticisms against his war on drugs, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The survey, published by BusinessWorld on Tuesday, showed that Duterte got a +76 public trust rating, down by three points from the last SWS survey conducted last June 24 to 27, before he took his oath as President.

The latest survey, which has 1,200 adult respondents from around the country was conducted from September 24 to 27.

The survey showed that 83 percent of those surveyed have "much trust" on Duterte, 9 percent were undecided and only 8 percent has "little trust" on the President.

The SWS classifies at least +70 net trust rating as "excellent."

Net trust ratings of +50 to +69 are classified as "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" as well as -70 and below as "execrable."

The SWS said the survey has error margins of ±3 points for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Luzon areas outside the nation's capital, the Visayas and Mindanao.

On the day of the start of the survey, the Philippine National Police reported that a total of 1,216 drugs were killed in police operations since July 1.

The police also reported a total of 18,873 drug suspects arrested and 721,067 drug pushers and users have surrendered during the same period.

Duterte has continued to launch tirades against the United States, European Union and the United Nations for their comments on his war on drugs, which is also being criticized by local groups due to the mounting number of deaths.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the "excellent" trust rating of Duterte will motivate the administration to continue the reforms it had introduced.

“This will further motivate his administration to continue what he started in his first 100 days--fighting illegal drugs and crime, combating terrorism, curbing corruption, and sustaining the momentum of economic growth,” Andanar said.

Better than Aquino's

The SWS said Duterte's public trust rating was better than his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, who got a "very good" +67 trust (77% much trust, 10% little trust) rating in a survey conducted from September 4 to 7 in 2010.

Aquino's trust rating following his election victory in May 2010 was +83 (88% much trust, 4% little trust).

'Masa' trusts Duterte

In socioenomic classes, the President garnered the highest trust rating from class D where he got +78.

Duterte's trust rating in class ABC fell by 10 points, but remained at "excellent" level with +72.

His rating in class E dropped by a grade and 12 points to a "very good" +67 from the previous rating of "excellent" +79.

Meanwhile, Duterte's trust rating in Mindanao increased by two points to +92.

He also continues to enjoy an "excellent" trust rating in Visayas with a +73 rating and in Metro Manila with +76.

The SWS, meanwhile, said that Duterte's trust rating in "Balance Luzon" slipped by six points with +69. The President's previous rating in the area was graded "excellent" at +75.

Excellent among age groups

Respondents belonging to the age bracket of 25 to 34 gave Duterte a trust rating of +83 while those in the age bracket of 18 to 24 gave him a +82 trust rating.

Those belonging to the age group of 35 to 44 gave Duterte a +76 rating while those aged at least 55 gave him +73.

The survey also showed that Duterte got an "excellent" trust rating of +84 among college graduates while high school graduates gave him a +82 rating.

The elementary graduates, meanwhile, gave him a +66 rating, down by 8 points from the previous survey. Those who did not graduate gave the President a +66 rating, down from the previous +76 rating. —ALG, GMA News