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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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INSERT DFriday, April 7, 2017
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MANILA – A few senators have come out to defend the drop in President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest trust and approval ratings.
The newest Pulse Asia survey said Duterte’s performance rating fell five points from 83 percent in December 2016 to 78 in March 2017.
His trust rating also declined seven points from 83 percent to 76 percent, the survey also said.
“All Presidents before him also experienced very high trust ratings at the start of their terms and eventually these ratings all dipped so there is really nothing unusual with the 5-point drop,” said Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan
Amid the drop in his trust and approval ratings, Pangilinan, a staunch critic of the President believes the former Davao City mayor’s spirits remain high.
He, however, hopes that Duterte “uses his high trust ratings to address the main concerns of our citizens which are to address the rising prices of goods, create better paying jobs, and improve incomes.”
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the recent survey results do not reflect a “significant drop” in the President’s performance.
It still reflected strong public support for the President even though an “unprecedented amount of international criticism and negative publicity” has been levelled against him, Gatchalian explained.
“If anything, these results illustrate how deeply the Filipino people trust the President and how much they believe in his vision for the Philippines,” he added.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the slide in Duterte’s popularity rating is “normal.”
His high popularity rating in the previous months is impossible to sustain, according to him.
“Duterte is a political maverick and many Filipinos are still uncomfortable with his leadership style. People’s expectations are high after the election, but Duterte is no magician. We cannot expect the President to solve the major problems in so short a time.”
“The positive thing in this March Pulse Asia survey is that 8 out of 10 Filipinos still trust the President in spite out of the slight slip, and that is still relatively good,” the former mayor added.
For their part, the Malacañang said the continued high approval of Duterte only proves that Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s accusations against the chief executive are “baseless and malicious.”
The senator repeatedly claimed that the President has P2 billion in undeclared wealth in his bank accounts.
“The people continue to embrace the President’s vision of a nation that works for the prosperity of all; a trustworthy government; and lasting peace, considering that the survey coincided with vicious noise from the President’s fiercest critics,” said presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.
The poll was conducted between March 15 and 20, the same week the first impeachment complaint against Duterte was filed by Magdalo representative. Gary Alejano in the House of Representatives./PN
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