7 in 10 Filipinos view Donald Trump favorably

MANILA, Philippines — Seven out of 10 Filipinos have a favorable view of US President Donald Trump despite his controversial stance on some global issues and foreign policies, a recent survey by Gallup International Association (GIA) showed.

The GIA’s 41st Annual Global End of Year Survey showed 72 percent of Filipinos hold a positive image of the US leader against 23 percent who viewed him negatively. This netted a score of +49.

Trump signed an executive order halting all refugee admissions and temporarily barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries last year.

The GIA noted, that even with the net score, Trump is significantly less favorable compared to his predecessor, former US president Barack Obama.

Of the 53,769 individuals surveyed in 55 countries, only 31 percent expressed approval for Trump against the 58 percent who conveyed negative thoughts of him.

“Two years ago, just before he left office almost three in five (59 percent) of those polled throughout 65 countries around the world held a favorable view of US President Barack Obama,” GIA said.

Forty-seven percent of Filipinos also have a positive view of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while 27 percent see him negatively, yielding a net score of +20.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is favored by 35 percent of Filipinos while 36 percent have negative image of him, resulting in a net score of -1.

President Duterte, who has pivoted the country’s relationship to China and Russia, still expressed admiration for Trump though – a stance that contrasted sharply with Duterte’s view of Obama.

Pope Francis, meanwhile, is the most favorable world leader in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation.

A majority or 87 percent of Filipinos have a positive opinion of Pope Francis. Only seven percent expressed negative opinion on the pontiff.

Pope Francis – who visited the Philippines in January 2015 – garnered a +80 net score in the Philippines. He also recorded the highest level of favorability among world leaders with a net score of +38.  

Filipinos also found British Prime Minister Theresa May (net score of +9), German Chancellor Angela Merkel (+5) and French President Emmanuel Macron (+4) favorable.