Duterte's high satisfaction rating doesn't mean public support for his policies —opposition bets

KALIBO, Aklan —The public's satisfaction with the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte does not necessarily equate to support and acceptance of his policies, opposition senatorial candidates said Thursday.

The senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition made the remark in response to the results of the First Quarter Social Weather Stations survey showing that Duterte obtained a "very good" satisfaction rating of +66, six points higher than his previous record in December 2018.

In an ambush interview on the sidelines of their campaign sortie here, former Solicitor General and senatorial candidate Florin Hilbay enumerated the results of past surveys which showed that most Filipinos are unfavorable to some of the policies of the Duterte administration.

These surveys include the public rejection of the government's inaction on the issue of the West Philippine Sea; the fear of being victimized by extrajudicial killings; and the opposition to the proposed shift to a federal form of government .

"Matalino ang mga Pilipino, kaya nilang ipaghiwalay ang kanilang tiwala sa Pangulo sa taya nila sa mga issues," Hilbay said.

"'Yun naman ang taya ng Otso Diretso na issue-based ang aming kampanya at hindi base sa personality ng kahit sinong pulitiko," he added.

For his part, former congressman and senatorial candidate Erin Tañada said that despite the high satisfaction rating of the President, the public continue to ail from issues of poverty and the rising prices of basic goods.

"Ang reklamo nga po, hindi nila nararamdaman ang tulong ng gobyerno at ito ‘yung hinaharap nila araw-araw at gusto nga nilang makita na itong mga problemang hinaharap po nila ay may solusyon," he said.

"Ang nakikita po natin sa mga lugar at komunidad na pinupuntahan natin, walang ino-offer na solusyon ang kasalukuyang administrasyon o ‘yung mga senador na nakaupo, so ito ‘yung hinahanap ng tao ngayon," he added.

Marawi civic leader and senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc, meanwhile, said that what the public wants more than anything is an independent Senate.

"Ang gusto ng mga tao ay ‘yung mga naninindigan. Nararamdaman namin ‘yun sa lahat ng mga communities, almost 20 provinces na napuntahan namin sa Otso Diretso, gusto nila ang mga sinasabi, gusto nila ang plataporma, hindi lang dance and song," she said.

"This does not reflect the high trust rating, this does not reflect that they don’t want independent senators that will stand on their issues," she added.

Malacañang welcomed the results of the survey, saying that the more his critics malign the President, the more his satisfaction rating will rise.

“These political adversaries are being swallowed by their own hubris. Survey after survey they are being repudiated. They appear to be ensconced if not entangled in their own web of lies that they cannot unshackle themselves from it,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said. —LDF, GMA News