BRIDGING POLICY AND PEOPLE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON PUBLIC TRUST IN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/ShodhSamajik.v3.i1.2026.64Keywords:
Public Trust, Government Institutions, Policy Implementation, Transparency, Citizen ParticipationAbstract
Public trust in government institutions is a central pillar of democratic governance, effective public policy, and social cohesion. In the Philippine local governance context, where citizens most frequently encounter the state through policy implementation and service delivery, concerns regarding declining trust have been linked to perceptions of corruption, weak transparency, uneven service quality, and limited citizen participation. This qualitative study examines how citizens experience government institutions across salient policy arenas, particularly local administrative services, health and social welfare programs, and law enforcement, and how these experiences shape trust in institutions, officials, and policy outcomes. The study employed a qualitative design informed by phenomenological sensibilities and utilized reflexive thematic analysis to examine lived experiences, attitudes, and interpretations of governance and policy implementation. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adult community members who had direct and recent engagement with local government institutions. Analysis generated five interrelated themes: (1) transparency and accountability in policy processes, (2) quality and consistency of public service delivery, (3) perceived integrity and corruption in institutional practices, (4) government communication in routine and crisis contexts, and (5) inclusion and citizen participation in decision-making. Findings indicate that public trust is not produced solely by formal policy design but is continuously negotiated through everyday encounters between citizens and government institutions. Trust is strengthened when policies are implemented fairly, communicated clearly, and aligned with citizens’ expectations and lived realities. The study concludes that bridging policy and people requires inclusive governance arrangements, ethical leadership, and sustained two-way communication, and it offers policy-relevant recommendations to enhance trust at the local level.
References
Braun, V., and Clarke, V. (2006). Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Creswell, J. W., and Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Edelman. (2023). Edelman Trust Barometer 2023. Edelman. https://www.edelman.com/trust
Fukuyama, F. (2018). Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Fung, A. (2015). Putting the Public Back into Governance. Public Administration Review, 75(4), 513–522. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12361 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12361
Grimmelikhuijsen, S., and Knies, E. (2017). Validating a Scale for Citizen Trust in Government Organizations. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 83(3), 583–601. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852315585950 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852315585950
Grönlund, Å., and Setälä, M. (2012). In Honest Officials We Trust? Institutional confidence in Europe. American Review of Public Administration, 42(5), 523–542. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074011421986 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074011412946
Lipsky, M. (2010). Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services (30th anniv. ed.). Russell Sage Foundation.
Margetts, H., and Dorobantu, C. (2019). Rethink Government with AI. Nature, 568(7751), 163–165. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01099-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01099-5
Moynihan, D. P. (2006). Managing for Results in State Government. Public Administration Review, 66(1), 77–90. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00559.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00557.x
Nabatchi, T., Sancino, A., and Sicilia, M. (2017). Varieties of Participation in Public Services. Public Administration Review, 77(5), 766–776. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12765 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12765
OECD. (2021). Building Trust to Reinforce Democracy. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/b407f99c-en DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/b407f99c-en
Pierre, J., and Peters, B. G. (2020). Governance, Politics and the State (2nd ed.). Red Globe Press.
Rothstein, B., and Stolle, D. (2019). The State and Social Capital: An Institutional Theory of Generalized Trust. Comparative Politics, 40(4), 441–459. https://doi.org/10.5129/001041508X12911362383354 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5129/001041508X12911362383354
Transparency International. (2022). Corruption Perceptions Index 2022. Transparency International. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25535.41125
Van Ryzin, G. G. (2011). Outcomes, Process, and Trust of Citizens. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 21(4), 745–760. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muq092 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muq092
Van de Walle, S., and Bouckaert, G. (2020). Trust in Public Sector Performance. Public Performance & Management Review, 43(3), 507–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2019.1696361
Yang, K., and Holzer, M. (2006). The Performance–Trust Link. Public Administration Review, 66(1), 114–126. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00562.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00560.x
Zmerli, S., and Van der Meer, T. (2017). Handbook on Political Trust. Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781782545118 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781782545118
