Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin downplayed the dip in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval and trust ratings, saying that every decision the Chief Executive makes is driven by the public interest, not the pursuit of better survey results.

“The public interest is the sole driver behind every executive decision, not the pursuit of high ratings in the next opinion poll,” he said.

“High popularity ratings are the bonus and not the bedrock of effective public service,” he added.

Over the weekend, a Pulse Asia survey showed that Marcos’s approval rating had dropped two points from 50 percent to 48 percent. His trust rating also declined by three points from 50 to 47 percent.

In the previous survey conducted in June, Marcos had an approval rating of 53 percent and a trust rating of 52 percent.

Bersamin said it is a part of true leadership to “pursue courses of action which are right but may not be popular.”

Despite the decline in numbers, Bersamin acknowledged the public’s opinion. However, he emphasized that the governance scorecard should not be based solely on survey results.

“To consider surveys as the sole indicator is to take our focus away from the more important metrics, like employment, that reliably measure our progress as a nation,” Bersamin said.

He said the President’s focus remained unchanged.

“As the President’s actions show, we have remained focused on our critical mission of uplifting lives, growing the economy, and securing our future,” he said.

Pulse Asia Research Inc. recently released its November 2024 Ulat ng Bayan survey on the performance and trustworthiness of top Philippine government officials and the overall performance of the national administration.

The nationwide survey, conducted from 26 November to 3 December, involved face-to-face interviews with a sample of 2,400 adult respondents aged 18 and above.

Several significant political and national events unfolded in the weeks leading up to and during the survey, including the impeachment complaints filed against the Vice President, new maritime laws signed by the President, economic reforms and investment promotion, the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, former president Rodrigo Duterte’s testimony before the House Quad Committee, updates on nuisance candidates in the elections, a power rate increase and its economic impact, and the US presidential election.