Malacañang not after high ratings, says Bersamin
MANILA, Philippines — Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s dismal approval ratings, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Monday, December 23, that they were not after opinion poll ratings.
A Pulse Asia survey showed that Marcos' performance ratings fell from 50% to 48% between September and November, while his trust ratings decreased from 50% to 47%.
Marcos' trust ratings also decreased to 47% in November, down from 50% in September.
In a statement on Monday, Bersamin acknowledged that leadership involves making decisions that may not always be popular.
“Public interest is the sole driver behind every executive decision, not the pursuit of high ratings in the next opinion polls. High popularity ratings are the bonus and not the bedrock of effective public service,” Bersamin said.
“We respect the statement that surveys are dipstick readings of the well of the public opinion,” he added.
Bersamin said the more important metrics are things like employment.
“As the President’s actions show, we have remained focused on our critical mission of uplifting lives, growing the economy, and securing our future,” he said.
Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte, House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Francis Escudero all faced a decline in both their performance and trust ratings. Here is a summary of their ratings as of November.
Performance
- Marcos: 48%
- Duterte: 50%
- Escudero: 53%
- Romualdez: 25%
Trust
- Marcos: 47%
- Duterte: 49%
- Escudero: 51%
- Romualdez: 21%
Compared to Duterte, Escudero and Romualdez, Marcos saw the smallest decline in both performance and trust ratings.
Escudero received the highest ratings among them in both trust and performance surveys.
The survey follows a tumultuous political landscape in recent months, as the once-dominant "Uniteam"—composed of Marcos and Duterte—appears to have fallen apart, with the latter openly threatening to kill the former.
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