By Argyll Geducos
The Duterte administration is eyeing a higher approval rating for President Duterte even as he already enjoys high trust and satisfaction ratings on his performance based on the latest surveys.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar
(ALBERT ALCAIN/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a radio interview, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar expressed optimism that the President will be even more appreciated by the public by the end of his term.
"We are very confident and inspired to work more so that by the end of President’s term, we can have more than 85 percent that approves, trusts him that he is really doing his job," he said over DXRZ RMN Zamboanga.
"We are targeting about 87 to 90 percent," he added.
Based on the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results published early this month, 80 percent of Filipinos said they were satisfied with the President’s performance. Pulse Asia's poll showed an 85-percent trust and approval ratings for the Chief Executive.
According to Andanar, the Duterte government has set the bar high for the succeeding administrations, adding that the ratings meant that the next President will have to maintain it or surpass it.
The former broadcaster attributed the survey results to the fulfillment of President Duterte’s promises in terms of poverty alleviation, infrastructure, and peace and order.
The Palace official added that the high survey results will boost the morale of the administration to sustain and even strengthen efforts to reach the government’s development goals such as reducing poverty from 21 percent to 14 percent by 2022, and becoming an upper-middle-class income country by then.
"If this becomes the gold standard, then the next president will need to also strive or work harder to achieve the things that we cannot gain during the current term," Andanar said.
"Our duty for the next three years is to really make the lives of the Filipino people comfortable," he added.
Meanwhile, Andanar said that while the government continued to campaign for better legislation and resolve the country's problems, the public should also cooperate to achieve the positive changes the administration has planned for them.