Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary (DSWD) Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday (April 30) felt honored for topping the latest non-commissioned survey of polling firm Tangere among Cabinet members but he was quick to give credit to all DSWD officials and employees for their hard work and dedication.

“This is a recognition of the hard work, efficiency, and empathy of the 40,000 social workers and development workers of DSWD. They are the true engines of the Department not me,” Secretary Gatchalian said after he emerged as the most trusted and highest rated Cabinet member of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s administration.

Secretary Gatchalian earned the highest public satisfaction rating among Cabinet members at 59.4 percent.

The DSWD chief’s strong performance was mainly attributed by Tangere to the continued rollout of the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP, a flagship cash assistance initiative that has resonated strongly among lower-income Filipinos, particularly those in socioeconomic classes D and E.

“The program, which aims to support families struggling with high living costs, has helped solidify Gatchalian’s public profile as a pragmatic and empathetic Cabinet member,” the polling firm Tangere said in its report.

The newly-released Tangere survey results reflect a broader trend: departments that oversee essential public services — social welfare, education, science, labor, and transportation — tend to enjoy higher public approval.#