PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte got a “passing rate” after reaching his first 100 days as the highest leader of the country, officials said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian gave the president’s performance a grade of 8 out of 10.
Gatchalian, who was in Bacolod City Friday for the Hospitality and Tourism Management National Convention at L’ Fisher Hotel, said that his good rating was due to Duterte’s effort in suppressing illegal drugs and criminality.
“The President, in his (election) campaign, promised to fix criminality and illegal drugs and that’s what we’re feeling right now. We’re now in the process of eliminating illegal drugs and criminality. In that aspect, he’s doing quite well,” the senator said.
In the first three months of his administration, Duterte gave his performance a grade of 6.
Negros Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson echoed Duterte’s own evaluation.
“I will go by his self rating of 6 because that is how he rated himself,” he added.
Fifth District Board Member Alain Gatuslao gave Duterte’s performance on the war against illegal drugs a “very high” rating.
Senior Superintendent Flynn Dongbo, acting chief of Bacolod City Police Office, gave the President’s performance a “9”, as he stressed that it is “very satisfactory especially his campaign against drugs because that is his advocacy. Everybody, from top to bottom, has to follow (his directive).”
Since Duterte became president, Dongbo said there was a shift of priorities in their line mandate, which is eradicating illegal drugs. He also noted that the crime rate in the city dropped in the first three months of the Duterte administration.
A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from September 24 to 27 showed that 54 percent of Filipinos were "very satisfied" with the ongoing war against illicit drugs while 30 percent were "somewhat satisfied."
Only eight percent were dissatisfied and the other eight percent were ambivalent.
The SWS said the poll results yielded an "excellent" net satisfaction score of +76.
Gatchalian said the high rating of Duterte is “an affirmation that he’s delivering on his promises.”
“He promised very precise things during the campaign, which is peace and order. I think that is being felt on the ground. That is why he continues to get favorable ratings from our constituents because he’s delivering,” the senator said.
He said the administration still has three more months until Duterte’s six-month deadline to eradicate illegal drugs, adding that there will be an assessment again if those promises were concretized on the ground.
Asked if the rising number of extrajudicial killings due to Duterte’s war on drugs is alarming, the senator said “what is alarming is the very slow investigation.”
He said the police should create a separate task force to investigate and speed up the investigation on the killings since these cases could have credibility effects on the police force and the administration.
“If the killings will not be investigated, it would lead to impunity in the long run and we don’t want impunity,” the senator added.
Moreover, Gatchalian said the extrajudicial killings and lawlessness, especially when shown by foreign media, would have an effect on tourism in a bad way.
“That’s why the approach here should be faster resolution against those vigilante killings and understanding the process of eliminating drugs in the country,” the senator added.