LEADING GOV'T AGENCIES. Both the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) get the highest trust ratings among government agencies for the fourth quarter of 2023, according to Octa Research's Tugon ng Masa Survey (TNM) released on Thursday (Feb. 22, 2024). The DepEd and the CHED also garnered high satisfaction ratings. (PNA photo)
MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Friday got the highest trust ratings among government agencies for the fourth quarter of 2023, based on Octa Research's Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey.
“The Department of Education (DepEd) earned the highest trust at 84%, closely followed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) at 83%,” said Octa in its survey.
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.
In terms of high-performance rating, the two agencies followed the DSWD (86 percent), with CHED receiving 82 percent and DepEd getting 81 percent.
Following these agencies are DPWH and DOH, with a 78-percent and 76-percent satisfaction rating, respectively.
Effective programs, service
CHED Chairperson J. Prospero De Vera III, meanwhile, expressed delight following the results of the TNM survey.
In a statement, De Vera said the survey only attests to the “effective services and programs” of the Commission.
“Despite the criticism on the feasibility of our programs, it’s assuring to know that the confidence of the people remained,” he said.
He also maintained a stance in upholding higher education as the best strategy to eradicate poverty.
“Our programs and initiatives are targeted to the poor and underprivileged, particularly in Mindanao which has the highest poverty incidence. This data from the OCTA research shows that the people felt and were positively affected by these programs” De Vera added.
The CHED garnered its highest satisfaction rating of 88 percent among respondents in Mindanao, according to the TNM survey.
De Vera vowed to pursue its targets, particularly in ensuring the realization of higher education equity in the country.
The DepEd, meanwhile, is yet to release its statement on the survey.
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. (PNA)
