Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top government officials with high approval and trust ratings based on the latest survey conducted by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD).
Following his first year as leader of the House of Representatives, Speaker Romualdez got an impressive 70-percent approval rating, while President Marcos clinched an approval score of 82 percent.
According to Dr. Paul Martinez of RPMD, the independent and non-commissioned “Boses ng Bayan” public sentiment survey was carried out from June 25 through July 5, 2023.
In the realm of congressional leadership, Filipino citizens delivered strong approval ratings for Romualdez, who saw his rating leap 10 percentage points.
The Speaker “experienced a nine-point ascension, culminating in an admirable 72-percent trust score,” RPMD added in a statement.
This data underlines the escalating wave of public goodwill toward the stewardship of Romualdez, Gutierrez said.
Among other government officials, Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio received 86 percent and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri got 69 percent.
President Marcos and Vice President Duterte also reflected “remarkable levels” of public trust—an indispensable cornerstone of effective leadership, RPMD said.
Within a year, President Marcos achieved the deep-rooted confidence of 86 percent of Filipinos, and Vice President Duterte got a 90-percent trust score, the survey showed.
Zubiri garnered a 69-percent approval rating, indicating a significant growth of 7 percentage points, and the Senate leader’s trust rating is now at a solid 71 percent.
Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) maintained his standing as the top-ranking Cabinet official with an “exceptional” performance rating of 88 percent and a trust rating of 93 percent.
Abalos is followed closely in the survey by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, (76 percent approval, 85 percent trust rating), National Security Adviser Eduardo Año (75 percent approval, 87 percent trust rating), Tourism Sec. Christina Garcia-Frasco (75 percent approval, 70 percent trust rating), Budget and Management Sec. Amenah Pangandaman (73 percent approval, 75 percent trust rating);
Trade and Industry Sec. Alfredo Pascual (71 percent approval, 65 percent trust rating), DICT Sec. Ivan John Uy (71 percent approval, 78 percent trust), Justice Sec. Jesus Crispin Remulla (69 percent approval, 66 percent trust rating), and Finance Sec. Benjamin Diokno (68 percent approval, 70 percent trust rating).
Department of Migrant Workers Sec. Susan Ople came next at 66% approval and 68% trust ratings, followed by Executive Sec. Lucas Bersamin (66% approval, 69% trust rating), DFA Sec. Enrique Manalo (66% approval, 67% trust rating), DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan (64% approval, 69% trust rating), SolGen Menardo Guevarra (64% approval, 69% trust rating);
DOST Sec. Renato Solidum Jr. (63% approval, 67% trust rating), DHSUD Sec. Jerry Acuzar (61% approval, 64% trust rating), NEDA Sec. Arsenio Balisacan (61% approval, 63% trust rating), DOLE Sec. Bienvenido Laguesma (59% approval, 61% trust rating), Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. (59% approval, 63% trust rating), Press Sec. Cheloy Garafil (57% approval, 60% trust rating), DOE Sec. Raphael Lotilla (57% approval, 59% trust rating).
These officials have also secured praiseworthy approval and trust ratings, highlighting the overall positive public sentiment towards the leadership at the country’s helm, RPMD said.
The recent survey unveils a clarion call from Filipinos for the current administration to focus on various vital issues, Gutierrez added.
The RPMD national survey, aptly named “Boses ng Bayan,” was taken across each city in every region from June 25 to July 5, engaging a total of 10,000 adult participants.
Drawing from a pool of 67.75 million registered voters, the respondents were selected randomly, and each city’s count was proportionately distributed based on official voter population statistics.
The survey results have a margin of error of +/-1% and a 95% confidence.