THE DEPARTMENT of Education has secured its position as the most trusted and highest-performing government agency, as revealed in the latest survey conducted by OCTA Research.

The Third Quarter Tugon ng Masa survey, conducted from September 30 to October 4, showcased DepEd with an impressive 79 percent trust rating.

Following closely were the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Public Works and Highways at 75 percent, with the Department of Health closely trailing at 74 percent, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development at 73 percent.

DepEd’s stellar performance was particularly notable in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, where it garnered an impressive 88 percent trust rating, while Balanced Luzon reported the lowest at 70 percent.

Breaking down the trust ratings across socio-economic classes, DepEd stood out with the highest trust ratings among classes D and E, earning 80 percent and 78 percent, respectively.

In contrast, Class ABC registered the lowest trust rating at 69 percent.

Not only did DepEd lead in trust ratings, but it also claimed the top spot in the list of best-performing government agencies, boasting an 80 percent performance rating.

Following closely were the Department of Social Welfare and Development at 75 percent, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Health at 74 percent each, with the Commission on Higher Education at 73 percent.

DepEd’s stellar performance extended across the nation, with performance ratings ranging from 72 percent to an impressive 91 percent.

The Visayas region emerged with the highest performance rating at 91 percent, closely followed by Mindanao at 88 percent, while Balanced Luzon reported a respectable 72 percent.

In striking contrast, the Department of Budget and Management recorded the lowest performance rating at 32 percent.

The survey, encompassing 1,200 respondents nationwide, maintains a margin of error of plus or minus three percent nationwide and six percent across major regions.