Malacañang on Monday thanked the public for supporting President Rodrigo Duterte after a survey showed that he received high performance and trust ratings amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The recent Pulse Asia survey, conducted from Sept. 14 to 20, showed that Duterte received a 91 percent performance rating and a 91 percent trust rating in the middle of the health crisis.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa taong-bayan dahil sa pinakabagong survey ng Pulse Asia, binigyan po ng 91 percent trust rating si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte at 91 percent din sa performance rating (We thank the public because in the latest Pulse Asia survey, the President received a 91 percent trust rating and 91 percent performance rating),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser from Boracay.

Roque said the President will continue to work to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the lives of Filipinos and set aside politics.

“Ang pangako po talaga ng Presidente gagawin niya ang lahat para makabangon po tayo sa pandemiyang ito. At isasantabi po talaga niya ang politika (The President’s promise is he will do everything to rise from the pandemic and he will set aside politics),” he said.

He said other politicians should follow suit and learn to prioritize the needs of the citizens severely affected by the pandemic.

“Lahat po ng Pilipino, supporter niya, kalaban niya, iaahon po niya hangga’t maari sa kahirapan na dinulot ng pandemiya. Ang panawagan po ulit ng Presidente sa lahat ng politiko, isantabi muna natin ‘yan, 2022 pa po ‘yan, tulungan natin ang ating mga kababayan (He will help all Filipinos, his supporters, his enemies, rise from poverty brought about by the pandemic. The President’s request is that all politicians should set aside politics, worry about it in 2022, let’s help our citizens first),” he added.

According to Roque, Duterte’s high performance rating could be attributed to the President’s determination to slow down the spread of the virus without politicking.

“Tingin ko gusto ng taumbayan na hindi namumulitika sa panahon ng pandemya. Nakikita naman nila na ginagawa ng Presidente ang lahat ng pupuwedeng gawin para mas kakaunting mga Pilipino magkakasakit ng Covid-19 (I think people don’t like politicking during the pandemic. They can see that the President is doing everything necessary so that fewer Filipinos contract Covid-19),” he said.

Roque also took a swipe at Vice President Leni Robredo for her lower performance and trust ratings at 57 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

“Naku, madam VP mukhang tama ang aking sinabi. Mukhang ayaw ata ng Pilipino namumulitika sa panahon ng pandemiya (Madam VP, I guess I’m right. It seems like Filipinos disapprove of politicking in the middle of a pandemic),” he said.

He advised Robredo to stop politicking as it may help boost her chances of receiving higher performance and trust ratings.

“Subukan po natin itigil ang pulitika baka po tumaas ng mas mataas sa 50 percent ang trust rating at mas mataas pa po sa 57 percent ang performance rating (Let’s try to stop politicking, perhaps your trust rating would go higher than 50 percent and your performance rating higher than 57 percent),” he said.

Last month, Roque criticized Robredo for being “blind and deaf” to the national government’s efforts after she claimed that there is a lack of system and cohesive plan in the government’s Covid-19 response.

The Pulse Asia survey showed that only 5 percent of Filipinos disapproved of Duterte’s performance while 5 percent were undecided. Likewise, only 3 percent did not trust the President while 6 percent were undecided.

Robredo had a 22 percent disapproval rating while 21 were undecided and 22 percent did not trust her while 28 percent were undecided.

Other top national officials who were rated were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.

Sotto got an 84 percent performance rating and a 79 percent trust rating.

Amid the House speakership row, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano received a 70 percent performance rating and 67 percent trust rating.

Only Peralta failed to obtain a majority approval score with a 44 percent performance rating and a 39 percent trust rating. (PNA)