New poll shows Duterte’s approval rating remains sky-high

Duterte's approval rating
The poll is in stark contrast to one published on Sunday, which suggested a steep fall in approval (File picture)

Just days after an opinion poll indicated a steep drop in President Duterte’s approval rating, a second survey has found that it is holding steady.

A poll published by Pulse Asia Research today (Friday, October 13) showed the president maintain approval and trust ratings of 80 per cent.

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This is in stark contrast to a Social Weather Stations survey published last Sunday which claimed a fall of 18 per cent respondents who were satisfied with the president, and 15 per cent in those who trusted him.

Despite this fall his satisfaction and trust ratings continued to be classed as “very good” and “good” respectively.

His communications secretary Martin Andanar accepted the findings of the earlier poll, saying: “The honeymoon period of the president is usually for a year, so this is expected.”

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In today’s survey, which was conducted in late September, the president maintained an 80 per cent approval rating — a drop of just two per cent — with only seven per cent expressing disapproval.

Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes said: “Across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, President Duterte enjoys majority approval ratings and trust figures.”

The president’s strong showing in the Pulse survey came despite some apparently negative news stories.

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Big stories included the Senate probe into the shipment of 6.4 billion pesos of shabu, when Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte and presidential son-in-law Manases Carpio faced allegations of involvement in smuggling. Both denied the claims.

There was also the president’s debunked allegation that Senator Antonio Trillanes had secret bank accounts in Singapore. The chief executive later admitted that account numbers he announced in public were fictitious.

The killings of teenagers Kian delos Santos, Karl Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman also dominated the headlines in August and September, prompting renewed criticism of the war on drugs.

Meanwhile, today’s poll found that Vice President Leni Robredo’s approval and trust ratings had fallen.

Her approval rating was four points down at 57 per cent and her trust fell five notches to 55 per cent.

Mr Holmes described the numbers as a “slight decline”.

However, it was a much worse day for House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who has the trust and approval of only three in 10 Filipinos. In response he vowed: “I will work harder.”