PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s total approval rating in the fourth quarter inched up to 64 percent compared to 62 percent a quarter ago, a survey conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. from Nov. 25 to 30, 2022 showed.
But Mr. Marcos’ low rating as the concurrent Department of Agriculture secretary is a “wake-up call” for him to find somebody to lead the department, an economist said Friday in commenting on the survey results.
The Chief Executive’s 64 percent rating was higher than the 62 score in his first three months in office. Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte’s approval rating was higher at 68 percent in the fourth quarter from 66 percent a quarter ago.
During the online Pahayag 2022 End of the Year public briefing on the survey involving 1,500 total interviewees, Publicus officials showed that the Marcos administration got an approval rating of 64 percent in the first six months but only 32 percent said it was better than the previous administration.
The Marcos administration also received an approval rating of 59 percent in the National Capital Region, 66 percent in Northern Luzon, 55 percent in South Luzon, 61 percent in Visayas, and 75 percent in Mindanao, the highest regionally.
But the President was considered the second-worst Cabinet secretary next to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.
In the survey, interviewees were asked who the worst Cabinet members were, and Remulla got 16 percent (the highest), followed by Marcos (9 percent), and Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla (8 percent).
Dr. Rosalina Ora’a-Fuentes from Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute in Quezon City, one of the panelists, said Remulla’s and Marcos’s ratings were due to the “burning issues” attached to them.
“For Remulla, the [Bureau of Corrections chief] Bantag issue and the other one was about his son’s involvement [in illegal drugs]. For Marcos, it is about agricultural issues like food security and the higher prices of commodities,” Fuentes said.
“So, Remulla and Marcos have burning issues to be addressed. [For the President], this is a wake-up call for him if he really is the [right] one to lead the DA or find someone to lead the department,” Fuentes said.
“That is really a wake-up call for Marcos because it is just right that the people [surveyed] have given him the red flag [in terms of his leadership in DA]… Besides, leading the DA gives him additional loads,” Fuentes said.
Publicus Asia economist Eric Estrabo echoed Fuentes’ statement, saying: “Maybe it’s time [for the President] to pass on the leadership of DA to another person to address the agricultural issues….”
The top two Cabinet secretaries in the survey were Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo who received a total of 65 percent rating and Vice President Sara Duterte, 61 percent.
In terms of trust ratings, the President’s score slightly dipped to 57 percent in the fourth quarter from 58 percent a quarter ago. The Vice President, on the other hand, got 63 percent in the fourth quarter, slightly up from 62 percent a quarter ago.
Estrabo said the slight decline in the President’s trust ratings could be a signal that the people wanted more action from him.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s approval rating declined to 49 percent in the fourth quarter from 50 percent a quarter ago; House Speaker Martin Romualdez, 44 percent from 46 percent; and Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, 38 percent from 43 percent.
Likewise in trust ratings, Zubiri’s score declined to 36 percent from 41 percent; Romualdez, 35 percent from 39 percent; and Gesmundo, 30 percent from 35 percent.
Among government agencies, the highest approval rating was given to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with 72 percent, followed by the Department of Education with 65 percent.
The Senate received an approval rating of 56 percent in the fourth quarter, unchanged from a quarter ago, while the House slightly declined to 52 percent from 54 percent in the third quarter.
Those surveyed also said the economy should be the topmost priority for the President to focus on.
The Philippine economy got a total rating of 25 percent, followed by inflation 16 percent, eradicating corruption 11 percent, jobs creation 11 percent, poverty reduction 10 percent, education 6 percent, wages 5 percent, peace and order 4 percent, illegal drugs 3 percent, and environment 2 percent.