Manila: Friends, foes, church leaders and surveys gave President Rodrigo Duterte a resounding approval rating and “very good grades” for his first 100 days in office, sources and analysts said, adding he should capitalise on his popularity to expand his base to support his not so popular policies.
His peace initiatives with all warring factions of Filipino Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines and communist rebels who operate nationwide (both belong to more than 45-year old insurgency groups) is “worth praising,” said Congressman Carlos Isagani
Zarate of Bayan, a leftist sectoral party at the House of Representatives.
“He is courageous in pushing for unusual solutions to the country’s insurgency problems,” said Congressman LRay Villafuerto of People’s Democratic Philippines, the administration party that supported Duterte’s candidacy in May 2016.
“He gets 90 per cent for his campaign against illegal drug trade, a grade never ever attempted by his predecessors,” said Senate Majority leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto,
“He gets 80 per cent for his plans for economic reforms,” said Senator Sherwin Gathcalian who supported Senator Grace Poe in the May 2016 presidential polls.
Gatchalian called for “more improved foreign relations,” but did not say if he supported Duterte’s independent foreign policy which meant disadvantaged ties with the United States, Philippines’ long military ally, while pivoting to China and Russia.
“The country’s shift to independent foreign policy is in order,” said Senator Panfilo Lacson, adding that Duterte has a grade of 70 to 75 per cent in making a “headway in creating an atmosphere of peace and order, and in efforts to eradicate illegal drug trade”.
“Duterte’s P7 trillion (Dh583.3 billion) budget for infrastructure projects nationwide in the next six years will boost Philippine economy, and sustain the country’s high gross development product (GDP). This deserves a grade of 70,” said Senator JV Ejercito, adding that Congress will support Duterte’s proposed national budgets until the end of his term in 2022.
“He should continue implementing programs for the poor and marginalised,” said Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of the influential Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines.
“Although he is very loud, he has an objective,” assessed Arguelles who commended Duterte’s campaign against illegal drug trade despite rights groups’ accusation of alleged extrajudicial killing of 3,000 since July. The police claimed responsibility for less than half of the incidents.
“His promise of change is now coming despite challenges,” said Bishop Noel Pantoja, director of the non-Catholic Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches.
Other lawmakers expressed fears that Duterte might not be able to address the worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila and his campaign for free education and medical assistance for poor people.
Duterte’s campaign for socio economic concerns for everyone might be addressed when the Philippine government and the leftist Communist Party of the Philippines agree in peace talks on “social and economic reforms” prior to a political settlement by end of 2016, analysts said.
Youth groups composed of College Editors Guild; Kabataan, a sectoral party; League of Filipino Students; and the National Union of Students of the Philippines gave Duterte lower than passing grade of “incomplete for many things he has not yet done”.
The Social Weather Station (SWS), a private pollster, said that 1,200 respondents in a nationwide survey done from September 24 to 26 gave Dutere + 64 per cent net satisfaction rating, with 76 per cent saying they were satisfied, 11 dissatisfied, and 13 per cent undecided about his performance in his first 100 days.
After his oath taking in July, Duterte received 84 per cent trust rating in SWS survey; and 91 trust rating in Pulse Asia survey — the highest in decades, pollsters said.
Duterte’s 15.8 million total votes in the May 2016 polls is 38.5 per cent of total votes, slightly higher than former President Beningo Aquino’s, which was at 15.2 million in May 2015.