After a double-digit fall in September, President Rodrigo Duterte’s satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of 2017 has rebounded, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The poll, conducted from December 8 to 16 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide, showed that Duterte’s rating gained 10 points to register a “very good” net + 58 satisfaction rating, with 71% satisfied and 13% dissatisfied.
The 10-point rise in Duterte’s net satisfaction rating nationwide was due to increases of 14 points in Balance Luzon, 11 points in Metro Manila, 10 points in the Visayas, and three points in Mindanao.
The president’s net satisfaction rating remained excellent in Mindanao, at +80 in December, up by four points from +76 in September.
It rose from “good” to “very good” in Metro Manila from +44 in September to +55 in December; in the Visayas from +43 to +53; and in Balance Luzon from +36 to +50.
Duterte’s net satisfaction rating also stayed “very good” in class ABC, up by nine points from +57 in September to +66 in December. It rose from “good” to “very good” in class E, at +65 in December, up by 30 points from +35 in September.
It also rose from “good” to “very good” in class D, at +57 in December, up by eight points from +49 in September.
The fourth quarter poll, conducted after Marawi was liberated from Islamic State-inspired terrorists, also revealed that 62% of the respondents were opposed to the extension of martial law in Mindanao.
Twelve percent of respondents were undecided, while 
26% disagreed.
Metro Manila recorded the highest opposition to the extension of martial law at 67%, followed by Balance Luzon at 63%, Mindanao at 62%, and Visayas at 55%.
More than half or 66% of the respondents also agreed that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can defeat Islamic State-inspired terrorists even without martial law.
“The December 2017 proportion of those who agree that the AFP can suppress the Maute group and Abu Sayyaf even without Martial Law is 12 points above the 54% in September 2017. It was at 57% in June 2017, when SWS first asked the question,” SWS noted.
The survey had sampling error margins of + or – 3% for national percentages, and + or – 6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.