I have placed the Philippine Trust Index table at the top of this column so readers can quickly refer to it as I discuss the substance of the index, its survey base, and its startling conclusions on how our people view six key institutions of society, in terms of their level of trust in them.

The presentation of the 2014 Index in Makati on October 27, was low-key and without fanfare. But in a sense, the event was just as dramatic and significant as the Supreme Court’s announcement last July of its long-awaited decision on the constitutionality of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Its judgment was just as harsh as the SC decision.