Malacañang on Tuesday thanked the public for giving President Rodrigo Roa Duterte a “very good” net satisfaction rating of +60 based on the December 2021 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

“Lubos po kaming nagpapasalamat sa sambayanang Pilipino sa patuloy ninyong suporta at tiwala sa liderato ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte (We are very grateful to the Filipino people for your continued support and trust in the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte),” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also acting presidential spokesperson, said in a Palace press briefing.

Nograles assured that Duterte would continue serving the country to the best of his ability until his term ends in June.

“Asahan po ninyo na patuloy na gagawin ng Pangulo kung ano ang ikakabuti ng mas nakakarami hanggang sa huling araw ng kanyang panunungkulan (Do expect the President to continue to do what is best for the majority until the last day of his term),” he added.

According to the SWS survey, Duterte has continued to enjoy the highest net satisfaction rate among the country’ top officials

His +60 net satisfaction rating is 8 percent higher than his rating in September 2021 but 19 percent lower than in November 2020.

Duterte’s high net satisfaction rating is due to his strong base of support, his perceived decisiveness, and his administration’s actions in addressing poverty and the drug war, according to SWS president and chief executive officer Linda Luz Guerrero.

In a prerecorded public address aired Monday night, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Jacinto Paras bared that many local officials continue to have “full support” in the Duterte administration’s handling of the prevailing health crisis.

Duterte, in response, said he thinks he does not deserve his popularity, saying the real stars in the country’s Covid-19 response are his Cabinet members.

“I am not taking any credit without bringing in the entire entourage who has helped me in my work as President,” Duterte said in a prerecorded public address.

He said he is “lucky” to have a “good team” who are committed to their jobs, even though the Philippines lacked resources at the beginning of the pandemic and relied on other countries for assistance.

“Ako (Me), I do not think that I deserve that popularity. I would rather share it with all of the department secretaries and the directors doing the job promptly and as fast and the number one exhibit thanks to Secretary Dizon, Secretary Galvez, Secretary Año, Secretary Lorenzana. Nakikita mo ang resulta ng trabaho (We can see the result of their work). And to think that we had nothing at the start,” he added. (PNA)