MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte's satisfaction ratings are dropping "faster than average" when compared to the ratings of his predecessors, Social Weather Stations president Mahar Mangahas said Tuesday.
Duterte's net satisfaction rating dropped to a "good" 48 from a "very good" 66, according to the SWS survey conducted from September 23 to 27.
"I would say that the fall is a little bit faster than average, compared to past presidents…They all fall...It’s not something to be proud about yet. If he can continue and match the records of Cory (Aquino), (Fidel) Ramos, and Noynoy (Aquino), then it’s something to talk about, but it’s still only his second year," Mangahas told ANC's Headstart.
Mangahas said Duterte still has a long way to go to be able to match his predecessors' satisfaction ratings in the same time period.
He said a rating of "good" signifies that the leader is still enjoying a "honeymoon stage," a phase which former President Benigno Aquino enjoyed the longest. Aquino retained his "good" ratings for more than 3 years, he said.
Data analysis and infographic by Edson Guido, ABS-CBN News
Meanwhile, President Joseph Estrada had the shortest "honeymoon period," which lasted only a year, if the numbers of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were not counted.
Compared to Estrada, Duterte had better satisfaction ratings, but Mangahas said the same could not be said if his numbers are compared to former Presidents Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Corazon Aquino.
"I could say that at least President Duterte has already exceeded Erap. He has not exceeded Ramos, he has not exceeded Cory, and definitely he has not exceeded PNoy because PNoy had the best of them all," he told ANC's Headstart.
"He needs to maintain it for 2 more years before he can say he’s as popular as those others before him," he said.
Aquino's satisfaction rating in September 2011, or after 5 quarters in office, was at +56. This increased further to +58 the next quarter, and by early 2012, Aquino was still at +49, said Mangahas.
"President Duterte has to stay this way at least until the first quarter of next year just to stay apace with President Noynoy Aquino," he said.
Estrada's rating in the same time frame was at +28, and Ramos' was at +62, said Mangahas.
Cory Aquino averaged +57 net satisfaction in 1988 and was able to keep her mark at the 30s-range until early 1989.
"There’s a long way to go for President Duterte to even match his predecessors," said Mangahas.
"All the presidents, their ratings go down. I wouldn’t say that there has to be something violent that happens, but if there’s violence then that’s the worst—like these extrajudicial killings. That probably would not be that low if not for these things," he added.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the killing of teenagers Kian Delos Santos, Carl Arnaiz, and Reynaldo De Guzman, were, among others, triggered reactions from certain sectors of the public.
Although they have asked respondents on the said news events, Mangahas said SWS has yet to analyze data on possible correlation of news about the killings and Duterte's ratings.
"It could be everything. It could be North Korea--probably it's not. But one mustn't look at some specific event and say that's the event, without some data there. I would say it's everything, and probably the killings are the worst," he said.
Malacañang officials meanwhile said the honeymoon period is over for the Duterte administration, but the love is still there.
While he said "love" is a nice term, Mangahas said they did not use it in their surveys.
"A president is not really supposed to expect love, is supposed to expect respect and is supposed to give satisfactory ratings," he added.
ANC, ANC Top, ANC Exclsuives, Rodrigo Duterte, Mahar Mangahas, survey, SWS, ratings, satisfaction ratings, social weather stations