Duterte approved by 87% of Filipinos

Spokesperson Sal Panelo says President Duterte, with the entire Executive Department, will continue to work, unmindful of the laurels he is reaping in terms of the people’s acceptance until his last day in the office

The Palace welcomes the latest finding of Pulse Asia Research, Inc. which shows President Rodrigo Roa Duterte receiving an approval rating from 87% of the Filipinos.

“The figures of the survey graphically show how the Filipino people are united in cementing their support to PRRD, and in agreement with the government programs geared toward uplifting the social and economic condition of the masses of our people,” said Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo Saturday.

“This latest approval rating is a clear repudiation of the fabricated tale and the false narratives of the haters of the President including the foreign entities that have joined the fray with blinders in their eyes,” Panelo said.

“President Duterte, with the entire Executive Department, will continue to work, unmindful of the laurels he is reaping in terms of the people’s acceptance, until his last day in office to serve and protect the interest and welfare of the Filipino people,” he added.

According to Panelo, the Chief Executive’s stratospheric approval rating is unprecedented.

“History tells us that no President has passed the midpoint of his presidential term with such a high approval rating. It has always been a downtrend. President Duterte overcame this trajectory. The disapproval rating has been reduced to a measly 5%,” he said.

“This recent survey mirrors and measures the performance of this Administration. It signifies that almost all Filipinos – with more than 8 out of 10 of them – feel that there has been a genuine, meaningful and positive change in almost every aspect of society, as solemnly committed by PRRD during the campaign in 2016,” he added.

Meanwhile, Panelo said Filipinos have so much to look forward to in 2020 under the current administration after Pulse Asia also found in another survey that 93% or practically all Filipinos are welcoming next year, 2020, with hope and positivity.

The spokesman attributed the public sentiment to the administration’s successful poverty alleviation efforts

“Even the President’s harshest critics can not deny that the number of poor Filipinos declined faster than expected in the last three years. Poverty incidence, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority, dropped to 16.6% last year from 23.3% in 2015. This means that 5.9 million Filipinos were lifted out of poverty,” said Panelo.

“The President has truly invested in his political capital wisely with – upon the recommendation of his economic team – difficult but game-changing reforms, such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and inclusion (TRAIN) Law, as well as the Build, Build, Build Infrastructure Program, among others, which are important in achieving our goal of bringing a more comfortable life for all Filipinos,” he added.