Filipinos starting to experience a ‘working gov’t’: Palace

MANILA — A recent survey, which gave the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte a “very good” net satisfaction rating, is proof that Filipinos are starting to experience a “working government” that delivers their needs, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo welcomed the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, conducted from June 22 to 26, which showed that the Duterte Cabinet’s net satisfaction rating rose from “good” at +44 in March to “very good” in June of this year with a new record-high of +51.

Panelo described the result as “remarkable”, noting that it is the first time that a Cabinet received a “very good” rating in recent memory.

“To the Cabinet members, this survey is important as it is demonstrative of the sentiment of the Filipino people, indicating that they are starting to experience a working government that addresses their welfare,” Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo attributed the survey result to the members of the Cabinet’s and their staff’s hard work and dedications to fulfill the President’s directives.

He, meanwhile, reminded them to use the survey result as motivation to work harder to fulfill the President’s promise of providing Filipinos with more comfortable lives.

“As we congratulate the individuals of the President’s official family, the people’s favorable satisfaction on their work should propel them further to continue performing their jobs with dedication and efficiency as they deliver genuine change for the benefit of our nation during the remainder of the President’s term,” Panelo said.

New departments

Asked if Duterte would still pursue a minor Cabinet revamp, Panelo said that by revamp, the chief executive meant the transfer of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the appointment of new secretaries to head three new departments.

“Maybe he was referring to one, the transfer of Secretary Piñol and the creation of three departments which mean he will be naming three new Secretaries,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“So in that way, that’s a revamp. Wala naman siyang nababanggit e (He didn’t mention anything else),” he added.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar earlier bared that Duterte may decide to have a Cabinet revamp after his fourth SONA.

Panelo, however, said Duterte’s praising some members of the Cabinet in his SONA meant he was satisfied by their performance.

“Haven’t you heard him praise and commended members of the Cabinet heading line departments? That means he’s satisfied. He commended them publicly,” Panelo said.

Duterte earlier urged the creation of Departments of Disaster Resilience, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and Water.

According to the SWS, the seven-point increase in the Duterte Cabinet’s overall net satisfaction rating was due to increases in all areas: 12 points in Mindanao, 11 points in Metro Manila, five points in the Visayas, and four points in Balance Luzon.

On July 8, the same pollster released a survey showing Duterte’s net satisfaction rating rise to new record high of +68, surpassing the previous record of very good +66 in March 2019.

The SWS survey, which was also conducted on June 22 to 26, found that 80 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied, 9 percent undecided, and 12 percent dissatisfied with the performance of Duterte, the country’s first leader from Mindanao.

Duterte, in a media interview, said he was happy that more Filipinos appreciated his work.

“As always, sinabi ko (I said), if you are satisfied with my work, then I’m happy. If you are not satisfied, then I’ll work more,” Duterte said in an interview on July 8.