President Duterte’s response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis enjoyed the approval of the majority of Metro Manila residents although many were not completely sure if the national government could contain the outbreak, a survey conducted by a political consultancy firm revealed.
In a survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia from April 13 to 18, 2020 among 1,000 online respondents living in Metro Manila, it found that seven out of 10 — or 69.7 percent — approved of the manner the President and the national government respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey added that 31.5 percent “strongly approved,” 38.2 percent “approved,” 8.6 percent “disapproved” and 6.7 percent “strongly disapproved” of Duterte’s response.
The firm revealed that approval of Duterte’s response was higher among respondents from low income and lower middle income households at 73.69 percent and 69.76 percent, respectively.
His disapproval rating, meanwhile, was higher among respondents from upper income household (at 26.32 percent), upper middle income household (at 22.43 percent), rich (at 16.67 percent), middle income (at 16.5 percent) and lower middle income (at 16.28 percent), it added.
The firm also found that while the President had a high approval rate from the respondents, the plurality still believed that there is only 50 percent chance that the national government could stem the outbreak.
In a question “What do you think is the likelihood that the national government will be able to contain the spread COVID-19 throughout the rest of country?”, 43.5 percent answered “50/50.”
Meanwhile, a combined 23.1 percent answered “low” and “very low” while a combined 33.4 percent answered “high” and “very high.”
On the other hand, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s implementation of the Social Amelioration Program received a disapproval rate from the largest proportion of the respondents at 36.7 percent.
Some 33.2 percent expressed approval of the department’s implementation.
In contrast, the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Health gained the approval of the majority at 59.7 percent and 51.3 percent, respectively.
The firm in its website said that it conducted an independent, non-commissioned online survey entitled “NCR COVID-19 ONLINE PANEL SURVEY” to gauge the opinions and perceptions of respondents on various key variables which are related to COVID-19 crisis. (Joseph Pedrajas)