President Duterte will be inspired to work harder to serve Filipinos during the coronavirus pandemic following a survey showing his high public approval and trust ratings, Malacañang said Thursday.
(KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace appreciated the public's confidence in the President, adding the survey showed they were happy with Duterte's leadership.
"The latest survey results send a clear message that our people are generally happy with the leadership and performance of the President," he said in a statement Thursday, April 8.
"This strong public confidence would certainly motivate and inspire the President, along with the members of the Cabinet, to work harder to serve the people, especially during this time of global health crisis," he added.
A survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. recently showed the President earned an approval rating of 65 percent in the first quarter of the year, compared to the 70 percent last December. Duterte also obtained a trust rating of 55 percent, lower than the 62 percent rating in December.
The poll results were released as the country continued to battle a resurgence of coronavirus cases with lockdown measures and vaccination efforts. The government has drawn criticisms for its alleged poor pandemic response but the Palace insisted it has actually been "excellent" in managing the situation until the new variants were detected in the country.
"We likewise express our gratitude to the Filipino people for making President Duterte the most approved and the most trusted national public official in the country with 65% approval rating and 55% trust rating, respectively, according to an independent non-commissioned survey conducted from March 20 to 29, 2021," Roque said.
Earlier, Roque assured the nation that the President remains fit and healthy for his age and continue to discharge his functions as the country’s leader. He made the assurance to dispel vicious rumors that Duterte was suffering an ailment after he canceled a public address this week. The President's activity was actually postponed to next week after several Presidential Security Group (PSG) personnel contracted the coronavirus disease. The PSG opted to minimize the President’s exposure to the virus to keep him safe and secured.