Palace says Duterte’s high approval, trust ratings ‘not surprising’

Malacañang is no longer surprised by the Pulse Asia survey results showing eight out of 10 Filipinos trust and approve the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte enjoys both trust and approval ratings of 85%, according to the survey conducted from June 24 to 30.

Only 3% of the respondents said they disapproved of his work, and 11% were undecided.

“Not surprising. It keeps on increasing, simply because the President is a very transparent leader, his political will shows in every measure or step he has undertaken,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference on Thursday.

“It shows how sincere he is, and the people are satisfied with his method of governance,” Panelo noted.

“People keep on expressing their support to awaken the critics and the detractors from their slumber and/or sleep, that all the criticisms against this President relative to drugs, vis-à-vis the West Philippine Sea, and other issues of national interest are all wrong. No basis.”

News developments noted by Pulse Asia during the survey period include the June 9 ramming of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in the Recto Bank that left 22 Pinoy fishermen adrift for hours before a Vietnamese fishing vessel came to the rescue.

“For every issue that is thrown at him with such negative force, the detractors and the opposition keep saying the rating will go down. But the more they say that, the more it goes up. If that is not a powerful language to them, I don’t know what is …” Panelo said.

Last week, pollster Social Weather Stations also reported that Duterte’s satisfaction rating zoomed to a record high in June.

Duterte received a net satisfaction rating of +68 (80% satisfied minus 12% dissatisfied) in the June 22 to 26 survey, eclipsing the previous record of +66 in March 2019 and June 2017. —VDS, GMA News