The results of Pulse Asia’s latest survey about several pressing issues in the country indicate that the Duterte administration has shown “decisive and compassionate” leadership, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“The Administration, under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, has exemplified decisive and compassionate leadership, which is best illustrated in Pulse Asia’s latest survey, conducted from September 6 to 11, 2021,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

Roque was referring to Pulse Asia’s September poll on the administration’s performance ratings on select national issues.

The survey revealed that the government earned high net approval scores on fighting criminality (+65), responding to the needs of calamity-hit areas (+62), protecting the overseas Filipino workers’ welfare (+60), promoting peace in the country (+55), and providing assistance to those who lost their livelihood and jobs because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic (+50).

The Duterte administration also posted high net approval ratings for enforcing the law on all (+49), controlling the spread of Covid-19 (+42), and stopping the destruction and abuse of environment (+41).

The survey also found that the government obtained good net approval scores on fighting corruption in government and defending the integrity of Philippine territory against foreigners (+30 each), as well as creating more jobs and increasing the workers’ pay (+27 each).

The current administration, however, registered least approval ratings when it comes to reducing the poverty of many Filipinos (+9) and controlling inflation (+1).

Roque acknowledged that the poll results reflect the present economic situation in the country, with 23.3 million workers being affected by the heightened quarantine measures imposed amid the prevailing pandemic.

He, nevertheless, said the government is exhausting all efforts to create more job opportunities through its “Ingat Buhay para sa Hanapbuhay (Protect Life for Livelihood)” campaign.

He added that the government is stepping up its response efforts by ramping up its vaccination drive and implementing localized lockdowns in Covid-19 hotspots.

“This is the rationale behind our ingat buhay para sa hanapbuhay (Protect Life for Livelihood) advocacy. We are accelerating vaccination by expanding vaccination sites among others, and managing Covid-19 risks better by allowing the gradual re-opening of the economy and imposing localized lockdowns in the highest risk areas,” Roque said. (PNA)