Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual improved his Cabinet performance ranking from 6th place in March this year to 4th place this July, which the agency attributed to the foreign and local investment leads the DTI gathered and the public’s trust on its mandate on jobs creation, business, and consumer welfare.
DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual
A statement released by the DTI showed results of a survey conducted by the RP-Mission and Development Found Inc. (RPMD) from June 25 to July 5, 2023, which ranks the job performance of the Marcos Administration and Cabinet Secretaries as they mark their first year in office. The survey was also released in time for the 2nd State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 24.
Dubbed "Boses ng Bayan”, the survey results for cabinet secretaries showed Pascual’s ranking improved by three percent from 68 percent last March to 71 percent this month, July.
“This positive rating is seen to reflect the foreign and local investment generation leads that DTI gathered since he assumed office in July of 2022,” the DTI said.
Further, the statement said, the performance rating shows the “public’s trust and confidence as DTI efficiently works on its mandate of ensuring _Trabaho, Negosyo at Konsyumer.”
As part of his vision in leading the Department, DTI said that Pascual emphasized his goal of introducing science, technology, and innovation driven approaches to significantly improve the business climate in the country. Aligned with the Marcos Jr. administration’s socio-economic agenda, the DTI has also been keen on prioritizing projects that would strengthen local enterprises, particularly the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Aside from this, the DTI chief has been actively working on gathering foreign direct investments that would generate high-quality and better-paying jobs for Filipinos.
During several presidential and state visits abroad, Pascual highlighted the enabling business environment as he campaigns his department’s thrust of “Make it Happen in the Philippines”.
Pascual tied with Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Enrile Uy in the 4th place.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. topped the list as best Cabinet Secretary performer with 88 percent score, followed by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who shared the second place with National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, and Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman placed third.
The country’s chief economic manager Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno made it to the top five as he shared the spotlight with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla in the fifth place.
The RPMD national survey had total of 10,000 adult participants from each city in every region. Drawing from a pool of 67.75 million registered voters, the respondents were selected randomly, and each city's count was proportionately distributed based on official voter population statistics. The survey results have a margin of error of +/-1% and a 95% confidence level.