HIGHEST TRUST RATING

MARIA YESA A. PALISOC

The Department of Education (DepEd) got the highest trust ratings among government agencies for the fourth quarter of 2023, based on Octa Research's Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey.

Getting the same distinction is the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). According to the survey, the DepEd earned the highest trust at 84%, closely followed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) at 83%.

Included in the Top 5 most trusted government agencies are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) garnering 82 percent, the Department of Health (DOH) with 80 percent, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with 75 percent.

The Education sector is thankful for the recognition, saying the survey only attests to their “effective services and programs”.

Despite the criticism on the feasibility of their programs, it’s assuring to know that the confidence of the people remained, officials said.

They also maintained a stance in upholding education as the best strategy to eradicate poverty.

They said that their programs and initiatives are targeted to the poor and underprivileged. This data from the OCTA research shows that the people felt and were positively affected by these programs, they added.

In this light, the officials vowed to pursue its targets, particularly in ensuring the realization of education equity in the country.

The TNM survey was conducted nationwide from Dec. 10-14 last year among 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above. The survey has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

-oOoThe author is Teacher III at Mabiga Elementary School