DSWD tops performance poll

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has remained the country’s top performing government agency, receiving nearly 70 percent approval rating in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

At the same time, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral’s performance rating went up by 13 percentage points from 34 percent in July to 47 percent in October 2008.

The DSWD, for the sixth time, got the highest approval rating among 20 government institutions rated in Pulse Asia’s October 2008 Ulat ng Bayan survey, receiving 69 percent approval rating in October from 65 percent in July.

The agency also continues to enjoy a 100-percent national awareness rating.

“These results make the DSWD the number one government institution in both performance and awareness ratings nationwide for the third quarter of 2008,” the DSWD said in a statement.

The DSWD topped Pulse Asia’s survey in December 2006, June 2007, December 2007 March 2008 and July 2008.

Cabral said the Ulat ng Bayan survey results only prove that the DSWD has always been “focused on the delivery of services to the people, and is a clear manifestation that these programs are being felt by the masses.”

Cabral attributed these achievements to the “unrelenting hard work and dedication of DSWD officers and employees under the overall leadership and solid support of President Arroyo.”

Cabral, meanwhile, also received this year’s Paragon Award given by the Career Executive Service Board recently.

The Paragon Award is given to Career Executive Service Officers who have served or are serving with distinction in the Cabinet.