President Rodrigo Duterte is still the most trusted national leader, Malacanang said on Sunday.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the latest result of the Social Weather Stations showed that Duterte’s net trust rating remains excellent with 80 percent of Filipinos giving him much trust similar to his 81 percent last December 2016.

“His net trust rating has been excellent for four consecutive quarters, considering the deeply entrenched culture of illegal drugs, criminality and corruption,” Abella said.

The survey conducted on March 25-28, 2017 among 1,200 Filipinos showed 80 percent of the respondents expressed their much trust with the President, while 11 percent undecided and 10 percent with little trust in him.

SWS survey showed the president’s net trust rating in Metro Manila rose by one grade at excellent +74 (82 percent much trust and 9 percent little trust). It stayed excellent in Mindanao at +89 (92 percent much trust and 3 percent little trust, while it stayed very good in Balance Luzon at +63 (75 percent much trust and 12 percent little trust) and also in Visayas at very good +63 (74 percent much trust and 12 percent little trust).

By class, net trust rating in Classes ABC rose at excellent +75 (81 much trust and 6 little trust), followed by Class D or “masa” who stayed at excellent +71 (80 percent much trust and 9 percent little trust). However, Class E went down at very good +64 (77 percent much trust and 12 percent little trust).

Abella urged Filipinos to be vigilant and engaged partners in active pursuit of change.

“The resistance to change in Philippine society has been breached by President Duterte; with him we are assured that the interests of the Filipino people come first and last,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS