President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte saw a drop in public trust ratings, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in January 2025.
The survey, commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy, involved face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters across the country from January 17 to 20. Respondents were asked to express their level of trust in various public figures.
Marcos’ trust rating declined from 54% in December 2024 to 50% in January 2025, while those expressing “little trust” in him edged up from 25% to 26%. The percentage of undecided respondents also increased from 19% to 22%. The President received his highest trust rating in Balance Luzon at 60%, though it marked a six-point decline. In Mindanao, 36% of respondents reported having “little trust” in him.
Stratbase Institute President Victor Manhit linked the drop to growing dissatisfaction over rising prices, saying that many Filipinos feel the government’s response to inflation has been slow and inadequate. He emphasized the need for long-term solutions to stabilize the economy and ease the burden on households.
Similarly, Duterte’s trust rating slipped from 52% in December to 49% in January. The number of respondents with “little trust” in her increased from 29% to 30%, while undecided individuals rose from 17% to 20%. The Vice President remained most trusted in Mindanao, where she secured a 78% rating, but in Balance Luzon, distrust was higher at 41%.
Manhit suggested that Duterte’s declining trust rating may be linked to her avoidance of issues regarding the use of public funds.
The SWS survey used weighted estimates based on the Commission on Elections’ 2023 Project of Precincts data. It had a national sampling error margin of ±2.31%, with regional margins of ±5.66% for Metro Manila and Mindanao, and ±3.27% for Balance Luzon.
