Sara ratings now lower than those of Chiz, Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines — After falling below the ratings of President Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte’s latest trust and approval ratings have also settled below those obtained by congressional leaders in the latest survey conducted by the OCTA Research Group.

Duterte, who used to have the highest ratings among top officials, has suffered significant declines in her ratings following a series of controversies and issues with the Marcos administration.

In OCTA’s third quarter survey conducted from Sept. 4 to 7, the Vice President obtained a satisfaction rating of 52 percent and a trust rating of 59 percent, down from 60 percent and 65 percent, respectively, based on a similar survey in July.

Marcos now has the highest numbers among the top officials even if his figures have also declined, with 66 percent satisfaction (from 68 percent) and 69 percent trust (from 71 percent).

Senate President Francis Escudero, who assumed office in May, obtained a satisfaction rating of 65 percent and a trust rating of 67 percent.

It was the first time that approval of his performance was measured by OCTA. His trust rating, meanwhile, remained the same as in June.

Speaker Martin Romualdez, who reportedly had a falling out with Duterte last year, obtained a satisfaction rating of 62 percent (from 63 percent) and a trust rating of 61 percent (from 62 percent).

Among the five highest officials, only Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo had lower ratings than Duterte. He obtained a satisfaction rating of 14 percent (from 12 percent) and a trust rating of 15 percent (from 13 percent).

Survey data show that chief justices often receive lower ratings than the other four officials, who are all elected.

Duterte, who ran with Marcos in 2022 under the UniTeam banner, formally broke away from his administration when she resigned as education secretary in June. She criticized Marcos and his family and allies in recent interviews.

The Vice President is also under investigation over her office’s use of confidential funds.

Cracks within the administration were first reported in 2023 when Duterte resigned from Lakas-CMD, the political party headed by Romualdez.

OCTA’s third quarter survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent.

Decline explained

For the so-called “Young Guns” in the House of Representatives, Duterte’s failure or refusal to explain how she had spent her confidential funds when she was DepEd chief could have caused the steep decline in her ratings.

House Assistant Majority Leaders Jay Khonghun of Zambales and Paolo Ortega of La Union said that public perception of Duterte may have greatly been affected by her evasive response to questions regarding her confidential funds. The term “Young Guns” refers to new House members generally well regarded by colleagues.

“Vice President Duterte’s dropping trust ratings signal a critical problem in the way people see her,” Khonghun said.

“When a public official faces controversies that go unexplained, people find it hard to trust them. If these issues aren’t addressed, it could seriously damage her credibility over the long term,” he added.

He said the Vice President had chosen to berate critics instead of explaining issues like her having allocated P15 million in confidential funds for a military-organized youth development summit that the Armed Forces of the Philippines later denied having received. She was also being asked to shed light on P16 million in expenses supposedly for renting of safe houses in 2022.

“If these controversies aren’t clarified, how can she expect people’s trust in the future? Trust is earned through transparency and accountability, qualities that should be part of every public servant,” Khonghun said.

For his part, Ortega said Duterte’s steep drop in ratings highlights how public trust can get eroded when accountability is ignored.

“From a high of 87 percent in March 2023 to 59 percent today. That’s a big drop,” Ortega said.

“People want leaders they can trust. To keep the public’s confidence, leaders need to be open and transparent,” he added.

Ortega said if Duterte intends to stay in public service, she should not ignore the controversies hounding her. “Silence is not an option, especially when the public is watching closely,” Ortega said.

“The duty to address issues that may hurt people’s trust should be a priority. If VP Duterte keeps avoiding these controversies, it sets a worrying example for accountability in government,” Khonghun said.

Ortega said Duterte must show the public that she is a true leader by accepting accountability whenever she commits mistakes.

“A true leader does not hide behind controversy. She should show the public that she has nothing to hide and is willing to address these issues openly,” Ortega said.

At a recent hearing by the House committee on good government and public accountability, retired Maj. Gen. Adonis Bajao, Lt. Col. Carlos Sangdaan Jr. and Colonels Manaros Boransing and Magtangol Panopio denied receiving P15 million from Duterte’s confidential funds, allegedly allocated to pay informants.

The military officials issued certifications for Youth Leadership Summits (YLS,) a regular anti-insurgency program led by the AFP in 2023.

However, DepED – then under Duterte – reportedly used these certifications to justify P15 million in expenses for rewarding informants.

At the hearing, lawmakers were also shocked to learn that the Office of the Vice President allegedly used P16 million in confidential funds to rent 34 safehouses for only 11 days in the last quarter of 2022.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua, chairman of the committee on good government and public accountability, said it would appear that the “safehouses” rented were luxurious properties.

Chua said that similar rentals in Bonifacio Global City typically cost around P90,000 per month, significantly lower than the daily rate of P91,000 per day paid from the OVP’s confidential funds.

Khonghun and Ortega underscored the importance of transparency, saying leaders owe it to the people to be open and accountable, especially when public funds are involved.

Speaker praised

Meanwhile, Khonghun, Ortega and Rep. Amparo Maria Zamora of Taguig praised Romualdez for his hard work and dedication and said he deserves his rising trust and performance ratings for leading a “very hard-working Congress.”

“Speaker Romualdez is a true workaholic who never stops striving to improve the legislative process,” Zamora said.

“He tirelessly led the many works in Congress. The Speaker’s dedication inspires us all to work harder and deliver more for our constituents,” she added.

“The trust that people have in him reflects their belief in a functional and results-driven House of Representatives,” she pointed out.

Ortega echoed Zamora’s sentiments, noting that Romualdez’s strong work ethic is evident in his consistent engagement with lawmakers and citizens.

“He’s very hardworking. He knows the needs of each district, that is why the people has high trust in him. People trust him because they see how much he invests in understanding and addressing their needs,” Ortega said.

He said Romualdez’s dynamic approach has raised the lawmakers’ morale and inspired them to promote meaningful legislation.

“Our productivity in the House is proof of his competent leadership. Speaker Romualdez has established an effective legislative process and selected leaders to ensure its success. Because of this, the people’s trust continues of grow,” Ortega said.

Khonghun said Romuladez’s favorable ratings reflect his success in establishing an efficient legislative process as well as in empowering his colleagues. — Jose Rodel Clapano