PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s satisfaction ratings are dropping faster than those of his predecessors, Social Weather Stations president Mahar Mangahas said Tuesday.
The latest SWS survey conducted from Sept. 23 to 27 showed Duterte’s satisfaction rating dropping 18 points from a “very good” 66 the previous quarter to a “good” 48.
“I would say that the fall is a little bit faster than average, compared to past presidents…They all fall…It’s not something to be proud about yet. If he can continue and match the records of Cory [Aquino], [Fidel] Ramos, and Noynoy [Aquino], then it’s something to talk about, but it’s still only his second year,” Mangahas said on ANC’s Headstart.
Mangahas said a rating of “good” signifies that the leader is still enjoying a “honeymoon stage,” a phase which former President Benigno Aquino III enjoyed for three years.
President Joseph Estrada had the shortest “honeymoon period,” which lasted only a year, if the numbers of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were not counted.
Duterte had better satisfaction ratings than Estrada, but Mangahas said the same could not be said if his numbers are compared to former Presidents Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Corazon Aquino.
“I could say that at least President Duterte has already exceeded Erap. He has not exceeded Ramos, he has not exceeded Cory, and definitely he has not exceeded PNoy because PNoy had the best of them all,” he told ANC’s Headstart.
“He needs to maintain it for 2 more years before he can say he’s as popular as those others before him,” he said.
“All the presidents, their ratings go down. I wouldn’t say that there has to be something violent that happens, but if there’s violence then that’s the worst—like these extrajudicial killings. That probably would not be that low if not for these things,” he added.
Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said it was too soon to make conclusions about what caused the drop in the President’s ratings.
“There are several ways of understanding that. I think what we need is a little bit more time to make comparative studies and analysis so that we can make a fuller comprehensive understanding of that report,” he said.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the killing of teenagers Kian delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Reynaldo de Guzman triggered reactions from certain sectors of the public.
Mangahas said, however, that the SWS has yet to analyze the data to see if the killings have affected Duterte’s ratings.
“It could be everything. It could be North Korea—probably it’s not. But one mustn’t look at some specific event and say that’s the event, without some data there. I would say it’s everything, and probably the killings are the worst,” he said.
Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said there was nothing unusual in the President’s satisfaction and trust ratings.
Arroyo said the same thing happened during her presidency. “The rise and drop in a President’s approval ratings are bound to happen in the course of his or her term. It is part of the territory. It reflects the pulse of the people at a particular time. A drop though does not mean erosion of public support but merely a sentiment on particular policies,” Arroyo said in a statement.
Arroyo said the presidency is a tough job that the highest official of the land has to make decisions even if unpopular so long as it is for the benefit of the people.
“But the job of a president is not to make popular decisions. He should make decisions for the greater good though unpopular. I had to endure this process myself when I made tough and unpopular decisions that ultimately redounded to the common good,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo said survey results should not distract a president or any leader or stop him or her from doing what should be done to address gut issues affecting the people.
“After a whole year of stratospheric ratings, the President should not be unduly worried by the drop in his ratings for the third quarter of the year. This is a blip, especially because the survey was taken at the height of the controversy over so-called EJK’s in the war against drugs,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo said she is hopeful that President Duterte’s ratings will recover as he has started several reforms which in the long run will help improve the lives of the Filipino people.
“The President has started several historic initiatives that too will comprise his real legacy. I refer to his initiatives on comprehensive tax reform, infrastructure buildout, Charter change, and securing and rebuilding Marawi City. All of them can produce major changes early enough to improve his ratings by early next year,” Arroyo said.
The Catholic Church, however, said the President’s ratings will likely continue to fall because of the drug-related killings and deplorable public service.
“He must shape up and improve his administration’s services to the people after his trust and satisfaction ratings suffered the steepest drop since he came to power last year,” said Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Committee on Public Affairs.
The priest said that Duterte’s trust rating could drop further if he does not change his leadership style.