Communication is a vital factor in gaining the Filipinos’ trust according to the results of the third Philippine Trust Index (PTI), the proprietary study undertaken by EON Stakeholder Relations that looks at how Filipinos trust their institutions such as Government, Business, NGOs, Media, Church, and Academe.
The latest PTI shows that an overwhelming majority of respondents regard communication as a crucial trust driver, with 9 out of 10 Filipinos thinking it is “very important” for Government, Businesses, NGOs, and the Media to communicate to its stakeholders.
At least 6 out of 10 Filipinos also stated that they need to hear information about the Government, Business, NGOs, and Media at least two to three times, in order to believe it. However, almost half of the respondents need to hear information about the Church only once in order for them to believe it.
“The results show that trust is dynamic and that it can be built and eroded. It also highlighted that for Filipinos, trust can break communication barriers and is a tool that grounds relationships, which is why it will always be worthwhile to invest in building trust,” shared Malyn Molina, EON Assistant Vice President for Business Development and Strategic Planning.
Aside from the important role of communications in building trust, the 3rd PTI also showed that the Church is still the most trusted institution among the general public at 75% rating. This is followed by the Academe (53%), Media (33%), Business (13%), and NGOs (12%). Last on the list is the Government, with a trust level of 11% among the general public.
Tracking trust ratings over the past 3 study periods, the Church and Academe enjoyed an increase in trust ratings since 2012. Interestingly, the Church saw a significant increase of 21% among informed publics in urban areas. On the other hand, the Government experienced the opposite, with its trust ratings sliding during the study period. Trust ratings among government agencies also dipped since 2012, with the largest drops observed for the Office of the President and the Senate.
Other significant findings include:
• For the Government, integrity is the foremost trust driver, dwarfing competence, performance, and leadership. Four out of 10 Filipinos say that “not being corrupt” is the most important driver for them to trust government. However, less than 2 of 10 believe that the Government is not corrupt.
• Trust on the Media remained constant for the two consecutive study periods. TV commands the highest trust level among the general public, especially in rural areas, followed by radio and newspapers.
• TV is the most common source of information for over 99% of both the general and informed publics, followed by radio at 60% (general) and 63% (informed). The internet is the 3rd usual source of information for the informed public.
• Within the Business sector, the industries of healthcare, water, IT/telecom, tourism and pharmaceutical industries were accorded the highest trust levels, while the mining, alcohol and tobacco, and real estate industries garnered the lowest.
• How Business treats its employees also emerged as a very important trust driver among both the general and informed public. About 3 of 10 say that they trust businesses that give fair salaries and benefits.
• NGOs in the Education, Health & Nutrition, and Environment ranked high on the trust spectrum. However, among the general public, there was a significant difference in the ratings of NGOs working with labor, housing, migrant workers, and women, who enjoyed higher trust levels in urban areas than in rural areas.
• About a third of the respondents identify incorruptibility as the most important trust driver for NGOs. Both the general and informed publics also note that to earn the trust of the people, NGOs should be free from political interests, help those in real need, have competent leaders, provide livelihood and communicate.
• Media emerged as the most trusted source of information about the Government, the Business sector, and NGOs. For information about the Church and the Academe, colleagues, families and friends were their second most trusted source of information. While traditional media still dominates as a trusted source of information, online media is steadily earning the Filipinos’ trust.
“The 3rd Philippine Trust Index clearly shows that trust-building is a never-ending process and commitment that all institutions should take seriously. The value that trust brings to a relationship is limitless, which is why EON has always made trust-building as the cornerstone of stakeholder relations,” concluded Junie del Mundo, EON Chairman and CEO.
The 3rd Philippine Trust Index covered 1,626 respondents both from the informed and general public. Face-to-face interviews with respondents from urban and rural areas in NCR, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were conducted, to gain a better understanding of the various factors that contribute to Filipinos’ trust in institutions.
Source: http://www.eon.com.ph/philippinetrustindex
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