PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has continued to enjoy majority trust and approval ratings, according to a latest survey, which also showed the Chief Executive maintaining high score in Index of Governance (IOG).
A nationwide Boses ng Bayan survey, conducted by the RPMD Foundation Inc. (RPMD) from Sept. 5 to 10, shows that 72 percent of Filipinos trust Marcos, and 70 percent approve of his performance, which together delivered an IOG score of 71 percent.
Paul Martinez, a global affairs analyst and executive director of RPMD, said that the IOG, a new metric pioneered by RPMD, integrated trust and approval measures to present a clearer picture of how citizens evaluate the credibility and performance of top officials.
Vice President Sara Duterte followed with an IOG of 57 percent (trust 58 percent, approval 56 percent), reflecting a slight dip from the previous quarter.
Then-Senate president Francis Escudero posted an IOG of 51.5 percent (trust 53 percent, approval 50 percent), also registering declines.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez emerged as one of the survey’s most dynamic performers, achieving 62 percent in public trust and 65 percent in approval.
These figures culminate in an IOG score of 63.5 percent, underscoring the Speaker’s strengthening resonance with the public and a growing perception of steady leadership at the House of Representatives, the polling firm said.
Beyond the country’s highest offices, the survey ranked Cabinet secretaries according to their IOG scores.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian topped the list with an impressive 90.5 percent IOG (trust 89 percent, approval 92 percent).
Sharing second place were Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman with 88 percent (trust 86 percent, approval 90 percent) and Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco with 87 percent (trust 85 percent, approval 89 percent).
Education Secretary Sonny Angara secured third with 84 percent (trust 83 percent, approval 85 percent), followed by Finance Secretary Ralph Recto at 82.5 percent (trust 82 percent, approval 83 percent) and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at 80 percent (trust 80 percent, approval 80 percent).
The noncommissioned survey interviewed 3,200 respondents across the country, achieving a 99-percent confidence level with a ±2 percent margin of error.
“These findings offer an informed view of how Filipinos gauge their national leaders,” Martinez said. “And they highlight the continuing importance of responsive and accountable governance.”
