President Rodrigo Duterte’s survey grades soared to new highs near the start of his third year in office with an 88 percent approval and 87 percent trust ratings, the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

The “Ulat ng Bayan” poll showed Mr. Duterte’s approval rating in the June survey was his highest ever and was two percentage points more than the previous high of 86 percent in September 2016, or three months into his presidency.

The survey results also showed zero disapproval for Mr. Duterte in Mindanao.

The approval rating of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has been on a steady rise to 47 percent in June from 41 percent in the March survey or a six percentage points increase.

The trust rating of Alvarez also picked up nine percentage points to 45 percent in June from 36 percent in March.

The performance with the second highest approval in the survey was former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III with 72 percent followed by Vice President Leni Robredo, 62 percent.

Mr. Duterte’s trust rating was also on a record high based on the survey.

He registered highest trust ratings in Mindanao at 94 percent, followed by the Visayas at 92 percent, Luzon at 84 percent and the National Capital Region at 79 percent.

Among Class E, the lowest social class or the “masa,” Duterte got an 88 percent trust rating compared to 87 percent among Class D and 82 percent among Classes ABC.

The Pulse Asia poll results debunked the outcome of an earlier Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll done during almost the same period that showed a “net” satisfaction rating of +45 as a result of 65 percent of respondents expressing satisfaction against 20 percent who said they were dissatisfied.

Among socio-economic classes, approval for Duterte in the Pulse Asia survey was highest among Class E (91 percent), followed by Class D (87 percent) and Classes ABC (84 percent).

Across geographic areas, approval was overwhelming in Mindanao at 99 percent, followed by the Visayas (89 percent) and Luzon and Metro Manila with 83 percent each.

Notable in the survey was that the highest improvement in Mr. Duterte’s approval rating was recorded in the National Capital Region with an increase of 27 percentage points.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace is grateful for the people’s “continuing vote of confidence” in Mr. Duterte.

“The President views these latest survey results with all humility; however, he is not leading the country for the sake of high or good ratings. The Chief Executive is simply fulfilling his campaign promises with the best interest of Filipinos in mind,” Roque added.

The President, according to Roque, is “working double time to rid society of drugs, criminality and corruption to achieve his goal of bringing [a] comfortable life for all.”

A separate Pulse Asia survey on the House of Representatives showed a 10 percentage point surge in its approval rating to 66 percent in the June survey from 56 percent in March. Trust rating on the House also went up seven points to 58 percent in June from 51 percent in the March survey.

The survey also showed 31 percent saying that performance and accomplishments of the House improved during the term of Alvarez while 39 percent said it was the same from the previous House administration.

Most of the respondents said Alvarez should fight for job security and right to free education in legislations he will support.

The survey results also showed 37 percent of respondents said they or their family members benefited from legislations on the removal of deposits for hospitalization; free tuition in public universities and colleges, 26 percent and the five-year driver’s license validity at 17 percent.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the high approval rating of the President “speaks for itself.”

“The figures speak for themselves. Can’t say more,” said Sotto in a message to reporters.

The Senate president, however, questioned the SWS survey made public last week with the President registering an all-time low approval rating.

“That of SWS subtracted those dissatisfied. What, right minus wrong? Not right,” he added.

“In the elections, do you subtract those who did not vote to those who voted? Favor and disfavor. You should report it separately, not net,” Sotto said.

For his part, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a staunch critic of the President, branded Pulse Asia’s sampling as erroneous.

“That is clearly a sampling design error and, therefore, invalid. Pulse Asia, historically, keeps on insisting to use respondents of Davao City to generalize or represent the population for the whole Mindanao,” Trillanes said.