Marcos: Gov't not relying on poll results for policy decisions

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the government does not base its policy decisions solely on survey results.

The Chief Executive made the remarks in an interview with the Philippine media delegation on Friday (Prague time) after a Social Weather Survey poll released last Thursday showed that Marcos Jr.'s satisfaction ratings increased.

The latest SWS survey showed that Marcos Jr. attained a net satisfaction score of +47 last December 2023 from +44 as of September 2023.

The President also emphasized the importance of prioritizing measures that yield tangible benefits for the public.

"While it's always good news to see positive trends in trust ratings, our focus remains on implementing measures that bring about lasting, positive changes for our country," Marcos Jr. said.

The President said that the changes the government implemented have been structural and fundamental, requiring time for their effects to be felt by the public.

"Such structural changes take time to trickle down, and for people to feel the actual effects of what we are doing," Marcos Jr. said.

Expressing satisfaction with the progress made, the President emphasized the importance of garnering support for the measures that the government has undertaken.

Furthermore, the President indicated that the positive response to the administration's policies and legislative efforts in Congress is encouraging.

"The policy changes that we’ve made, the legislations that we have requested from the Congress," the President noted, suggesting that the uptick in trust ratings may reflect public recognition of these initiatives.

In conclusion, the President pledged to maintain the momentum and redouble efforts in serving the nation. "So good, then we will keep going and work even harder than we have been before," Marcos Jr. said.

According to the SWS Survey, Marcos Jr. received the highest satisfaction rating in Balance Luzon (areas outside of Metro Manila) at +52, followed by Visayas at +51, Metro Manila at +44, and Mindanao at +38.

The SWS survey, carried out from 8 to 11 December 2023, employed face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult participants. These respondents were evenly distributed across Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.