After all the magma of black propaganda and brews of twisted information conjured up by the pro-communist party-list bloc in the House of Representatives, Vice President Inday Sara Duterte remains the most trusted among the four top government officials in the country, enjoying the highest approval rating.

Against the vicious vilification campaign waged by the new alliance of the House leadership and the Makabayan bloc, the people in a survey conducted by Pulse Asia recently manifested their trust in and approval of VP Sara in no uncertain terms.

The numbers are clear. Vice President Sara Duterte scored the highest approval and trust ratings at 74 and 78 percent, respectively.  The increase in percentages in the two most vital categories is a repudiation of the organized attacks against the Vice President and is evidence of how the survey respondents regard the officials in the upper echelons of government.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. managed to land in second place, although his scores, despite an improvement from the September survey, were still way behind Sara’s. His approval and trust ratings were at 68 and 73 percent, respectively.

Senate President Migz Zubiri’s ratings, on the other hand, were almost stagnant at 49 percent approval and 51 percent trust.

Speaker Martin Romualdez had disgraceful scores, with the lowest approval rating at 39 percent and a trust of 40 percent.

The ratings obtained by VP Sara and Speaker Martin were most significant given the public perception that they are both running for president in 2028.  

While the presidential election is still four years away, the early move of Romualdez of derogating the Vice President gave rise to early speculations the Speaker is gunning for the presidency. Add to this the removal of Congress members identified with VP Sara from the House leadership and various committee positions, and there is no mistaking Speaker Martin has a presidential agenda. Critics of VP Sara in and out of the HoR did not also spare former President Rodrigo Duterte, who still enjoys unprecedented popularity among the electorate. 

The popularity of the elder Duterte is reflected in scores of posts on Facebook urging him to run for any elective position following his press interview in Davao City last Saturday.  While he politely declined the clarion call, just the same, even in retirement his endorsement matters in no small terms.

But Inday Sara, on her own, can weather the storm of attacks aimed at demonizing her, as she has demonstrated in recent months. She stood firm against giving the CPP-NPA terrorists amnesty and the revival of peace talks, branding it “a deal with the devil.”

It is that brand of Duterte leadership that endears her to the people, and the same explains why she enjoys the highest approval and trust ratings despite all the perverse attacks by the House leadership and the Makabayan group.

Clearly, she is in the hearts and minds of the people.