SOCIAL Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian emerged as the highest-rated Cabinet official in the latest nationwide governance survey conducted by RPMD Foundation Inc., which measured public trust and performance ratings of key officials under the Marcos administration.
Results of the “Boses ng Bayan” survey showed Gatchalian posting an 87-percent Index of Governance (IOG), the highest among Cabinet officials assessed in the poll conducted from April 1 to 8, 2026 among 5,000 respondents nationwide. The survey carried a margin of error of ±1 percent.
RPMD said its IOG metric combines trust and job performance ratings to gauge public perception of government officials.
Gatchalian’s rating was backed by an 85-percent trust score and 89-percent approval rating, reflecting strong public confidence in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s social welfare and emergency assistance programs.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara ranked second with an 85-percent IOG, followed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla with 82 percent.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon placed fourth with an 80-percent IOG, while Executive Secretary Ralph Recto recorded 78 percent.
Acting Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida garnered a 76-percent IOG, followed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. with 75 percent.
Among the other top-rated officials were Trade Secretary Cristina Roque with a 73-percent IOG and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. with 72 percent.
Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. registered a 70-percent IOG, followed by Acting Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez with 69 percent and Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac with 67 percent.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa obtained a 65-percent IOG, while Foreign Affairs Secretary Tess Lazaro and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma posted 63 percent and 62 percent, respectively.
Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling rounded out the upper tier with a 60-percent IOG.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III got 58.5 percent, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, 57 percent, and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Henry Aguda, 55.5 percent.
Finance Secretary Frederick Go received a 54-percent IOG, while Energy Secretary Sharon Garin got 53.5 percent.
Department of Economy, Planning and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan obtained 52.5 percent, followed by Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe with 51.5 percent.
Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo recorded the lowest score in the survey with a 50.5-percent IOG.
RPMD executive director and global affairs analyst Paul Martinez said the results showed Filipinos continued to favor Cabinet officials who demonstrate “effective leadership, public visibility, responsiveness, and concrete delivery of government services.”