The Duterte administration’s approval rating in addressing 14 national issues amid the pandemic decreased, based on a September Pulse Asia poll, with its approval score on preventing graft and corruption dropping 12 percentage points to 52 percent from 64 percent three months ago.
The Pulse Asia poll, conducted via face-to-face interviews of 2,400 respondents from September 6 to 11, showed that the government’s approval rating in protecting the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs also went down to 66 percent from 77 percent, as well as enforcing the law on people whether influential or otherwise (60 percent from 67 percent).
The same poll showed Filipinos believed that controlling inflation (41 percent) and increasing the pay of workers (40 percent) are the two top “most urgent” national concerns.
According to the survey, other issues that must also be addressed included the spread of COVID-19 and poverty of many Filipinos (29 percent each), graft and corruption in government (26 percent), employment (25 percent), and the distribution of assistance to those affected by the pandemic (19 percent).
Other urgent issues cited by Pulse Asia were law enforcement, promotion of peace, and involuntary hunger (15 percent each); criminality (14 percent); destruction and abuse of environment (11 percent); tax reduction (8 percent); defending the Philippine territory and protecting OFWs (5 percent); and terrorism (2 percent).
The survey also showed that staying healthy was the top personal concern of most of the respondents.
Results of Pulse Asia’s poll found that 70 percent of Filipinos wanted to stay healthy and avoid illnesses.
Forty-seven percent of the respondents also hoped to have a “secure and well-paying” job, 46 percent wanted to have enough food every day, and 43 percent looked forward to finishing schooling or being able to provide schooling for their children.
Other personal issues include the respondents’ desire to have savings and avoid being a victim of any serious crime (32 percent each), as well as to have a house and lot (30 percent).
Pulse Asia used ±2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.
The Duterte administration also scored six percentage points lower when it came to controlling COVID-19 (59 percent from 65 percent) controlling inflation (37 percent from 43 percent), increasing the pay of workers (48 percent from 54 percent), and promoting peace in the country (64 percent from 70 percent).
Also decreasing by five percentage points are approval scores in creating more jobs (49 percent from 54 percent), fighting criminality (74 percent from 79 percent), and stopping environmental destruction (56 percent from 61 percent).
The Duterte administration’s approval score in reducing poverty (41 percent from 44 percent) and defending the integrity of Philippine territory against foreigners (49 percent to 52 percent) also slightly decreased.
The smallest drop in the government’s approval score was recorded in aiding those who lost livelihoods amid the COVID-19 pandemic (64 percent from 66 percent) and responding to areas affected by calamities (71 percent from 73 percent).
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque did not address the drop in public approval of the anti-corruption efforts but argued that the net approval rating, or the difference between the approval and disapproval ratings in other issues, “remained respectable.”
