Pulse Asia poll shows Duterte admin in right direction

FILE: Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Malacañang on Friday said the latest Pulse Asia survey which showed the Duterte administration receiving majority approval ratings for its handling of nearly all of the 12 most urgent national concerns is proof that the present government is in the right direction.

“The Duterte administration is in the right direction when it made fighting criminality and fighting corruption as its centerpiece program. Filipinos consider these two issues as among their most urgent national concerns, and we thank our people for recognizing the efforts of the current government in delivering on this front,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

According to the Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted from September 24 to 30 but was released only on Friday, most Filipinos continue to express appreciation for the work done by the national administration in the following areas: responding to the needs of those affected by calamities (78 percent); fighting criminality (78 percent);  protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (76 percent); fighting corruption (70 percent); protecting the environment (68 percent); enforcing the rule of law (67 percent);  promoting peace (67 percent); defending national territorial integrity (65 percent); creating more jobs (63 percent); and increasing workers’ pay (58 percent).

The two issues on which the Duterte administration failed to achieve a majority approval score are poverty reduction (49 percent) and controlling inflation (45 percent).

Among the key developments that dominated the headlines in the days leading up to the survey period included the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the PHP6.4 billion shabu shipment that slipped through the Bureau of Customs (BOC) that saw the appearance of Davao City Vice-Mayor Paolo Duterte and Atty. Manases Carpio before the committee; the threat made by President Duterte to create an independent commission to investigate corruption within the Office of the Ombudsman; and the declaration of the National Day of Protest on the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

Other key developments included the death of the so-called “most wanted drug lord” in Iloilo; the confirmation by the military that Abdullah Maute was killed during military operations; the arrest of Puerto Princesa City Vice-Mayor Luis Marcaida for possession of illegal drugs; the House Committee on Justice’s dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson Andres Bautista and the filing of an impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno; and the continued strong performance of the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) among others.

Abella noted that of the 12 national issues, the national administration got high marks in the following: fighting criminality at number 1; fighting graft and corruption in government at number 4; and, enforcing the law on all at number 6.

“The survey results indeed underscore the President’s promise of genuine change to have safe neighborhoods and peaceful communities under a trustworthy government has been felt by people on the ground,” he said.

The Palace official said the government is optimistic that by addressing criminality and corruption, the two issues where the administration failed to get majority approval – fighting poverty and controlling inflation — would soon be addressed.

“We are hopeful that this translates into increased investments and better economic prospects that address urgent national concerns, such as reducing poverty, controlling inflation, creating jobs, and improving the pay of workers to achieve our common aspiration of comfortable life for all,” Abella said.