The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has earned the top spot among government agencies in public satisfaction rating, according to OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa survey released on Thursday.

The survey, conducted on Dec. 10-14, 2023, showed the DSWD is No. 1 in public satisfaction rating with 86 percent and No. 3 in public trust rating with 82 percent.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said the survey results served as a tribute to the department’s hardworking “angels in red vests.”

“We in the DSWD believe that the agency’s new innovations, such as the Food Stamp Program, the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program and Project Pag-Abot contributed much to the department’s being No. 1 in satisfaction rating among government agencies,” Lopez said during the DSWD’s Thursday Media Forum.

He said the DSWD would continue their innovations to protect the vulnerable poor and marginalized individuals, “so that the expectations of these people indicated in the series of positive surveys for the DSWD won’t fail.”

He added that the survey is a validation that the DSWD’s social protection programs have satisfied the needs of Filipinos, specifically the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sectors.

Aside from the DSWD, included in the Top 5 performing agencies are the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The five most trusted agencies are DepEd, CHED, DSWD, DOH, and DPWH.

“On behalf of the entire DSWD, we thank the Filipino people for appreciating and recognizing the significant role of every angel in red vest in addressing the needs of the marginalized and ensuring the welfare of every Filipino, especially during challenging times,” Lopez said. (PNA)