By Anthony Pagapulaan

PHOTO: PCOO

The administration has shown stillness even amid President Rodrigo Duterte's lowering satisfaction remarks, eight months before the 2022 national and local elections.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday that it is only normal for every politician to experience a downplay in ratings as elections are approaching as an effect of the opposition's tactics to dethrone the administration's faction.

"Of course, with elections approaching, candidates will seek to lower the administration's approval rating since they will not be able to win if they do not," Roque said in Filipino.

As projected in the surveys conducted by the Social Weather Station (SWS), Duterte's ratings are gradually falling from +84 in November last year to both +75 in June and May this year.

Although this is a low  rating, his spokesperson still said "that is not too alarming and it is still very good by any standard.

SWS fellow and political science professor Jorge Tinio said the " combination of satisfied and very satisfied" remarks for Duterte could have been because, around that time, infections appeared to have been controlled.

"I would situate that in that context. People were sensing that, okay, this is now starting to be over and we’re relieved this has happened and that we’re satisfied with what the government has done," said Tigno.

Meanwhile, SWS fellow and economic associate professor Geoffrey Ducanes said most Filipinos believe that the administration doesn't fail them in their response to the pandemic.

"Most people don't think the government mismanaged the pandemic. They gave the government a relatively high rating in terms of taking care of those who got COVID-19 and also a relatively high rating in terms of vaccination," he said.

Duterte is one of the vice presidential aspirants, who have declared their intent in the second highest seat in the country, together with public health advocate Dr. Willie Ong and senate president Vincente Sotto.


Report source: CNN Philippines