by Ritchel Mendiola
AJPress
President Rodrigo Duterte was unfazed when a new survey revealed that his satisfaction rating dropped to a new low in the second quarter of 2018.
The nationwide survey was conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from June 27 to 30. It showed 65 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied and 20 percent are dissatisfied with Duterte’s performance for a net satisfaction score of +45.
His score was down by 11 points from the +65 he received in March.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque merely shrugged of the result and said Duterte does not work to raise his popularity ratings. According to him, Duterte is not a “survey-driven” leader.
“Our president does not govern for the ratings. He is fulfilling his promise and his promise is simple: anti-corruption, anti-illegal drugs and a more comfortable life for everyone,” Roque told radio dzRH on Wednesday, July 11.
He also mentioned that Duterte’s score is still higher compared to the latter’s predecessors.
However, the SWS survey results showed that that was only true for two former Presidents: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada.
Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos scored better than Duterte two years into their terms, with the former garnering +64 in February 1988 and +57 August 1988, while the latter got +67 in April 1994 and +55 in August 1994.
Roque further claimed that Duterte’s score is not poor because “the people are still satisfied.”
“Regardless of numbers, we assure everyone that the President and the members of his Cabinet would continue to work double-time in bringing the fruits of a better and more inclusive economy, and in strengthening the government’s drive against illegal drugs, crime and corruption,” he added.
Duterte, for his part, said survey ratings no longer interest him.
“I do not care. Make it (a) 15 (-point drop). It no longer matters to me,” he said on Tuesday night hours after SWS released results of its second quarter survey.
“It does not interest me at all,” he added.
Duterte also said that he was just “coasting along.”
“I just coast along. Just traveling… and with the new suggestion since I’m not popular anymore, Congress might decide to find a popular one. You want a popular president? Fine. Good,” he told reporters in Clark, Pampanga.
