Duterte on track to become Philippines most popular president

Support hits new high despite president's bloody drug war and pro-China stance

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during the 121st Philippine Navy Anniversary at Sangley point in the Philippines. He used the June 17 speech to call the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat hit by a Chinese vessel in the disputed South China Sea "a little maritime accident." © AP

CLIFF VENZON, Nikkei staff writer

July 8, 2019 20:52 JST

MANILA -- Rodrigo Duterte is on track to becoming the Philippine's most popular president since the democratic era began 33 years ago with the fall of Ferdinand Marcos's dictatorship.

Duterte finished the first half of his six-year term with a record net satisfaction rating of 68% in the second quarter, surpassing a previous high of 66% in the January-March period, according to a Social Weather Stations poll published Monday. The proportion of satisfied respondents rose one percentage point to 80%, while those dissatisfied dropped a point to 12%.