SIXTY-SIX percent of Filipinos have expressed concern over President Rodrigo Duterte's health condition, according to a December poll conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The number of Filipinos raising worry about the 73-year-old Chief Executive went up from the 55 percent recorded in September 2018, the survey conducted on December 16 to 19 showed.
Of the 66 percent, around 22 percent "worried a great deal," while the remaining 44 percent were "somewhat worried."
SWS noted that only 34 percent were not worried about the President's health.
The 11-point rise in the overall proportion of those worried (percent worried a great deal and percent somewhat worried) about Duterte’s health from September 2018 to December 2018 was due to increases in all areas.
Worry about Duterte's health was highest in his bailiwick, Mindanao, which was registered at 73 percent. This was followed by Metro Manila (66 percent), Visayas (66 percent), and Balance Luzon (63 percent).
The December poll found that 49 percent believed that the President currently has health problems, while 24 percent thought otherwise, yielding a net belief score of +25.
Net belief that Duterte is suffering from serious illness was highest in Metro Manila (+31), followed by Balance Luzon (+28), Visayas (+26), and Mindanao (+14).
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace viewed the results of SWS survey with a "positive outlook."
Panelo said the poll results merely showed that majority of Filipinos feared that Duterte, who he said "is offering his freedom and his life" to get rid of illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality, "would not last his presidency."
He added that the SWS poll proved that "an overwhelming number of Filipinos are praying for his good health, for his well being and for him to finish his term."
"They fear that such an unwelcome event will deprive them of the genuine change they have seen in his unorthodox, tough yet compassionate and caring governance," the Palace official said on Thursday, January 10.
"Our countrymen would not want to be stripped of the searing iron-clad political will kind of leadership given them by a debilitating disease or an untimely departure... The sizeable number of Filipinos who worries about [Duterte's] health wishes to convey to the President that he remains in robust wealth for the sake of the country and the people," he added.
Panelo likewise believed that the poll result was a "resounding rejection" of the opposition, critics and detractors "who continuously assault the President with ruthless and baseless accusations or condemnations."
Amid worry about Duterte's health, Panelo guaranteed that the President remains in good health.
"A grateful President assures the nation that there is no cause for worry as he is in a fine state of health, and his punishing schedule of activities in attending and responding to the needs of the citizenry is proof of his good physical condition," the Palace official said.
"Even as he performs his constitutional duties, he shall endeavour to always watch over his health," he added.
SWS interviewed 1,440 adult respondents using sampling error margins of ±2.6 percentage points for national percentages, and ±5 percentage points each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. (SunStar Philippines)