A new OCTA Research survey shows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gaining ground in public opinion, while Vice President Sara Duterte sees a modest dip in how Filipinos rate her performance.
The polling firm, which conducted the survey from March 19 to 25, found 54 percent of respondents expressing trust in the President — a six-point climb from the 48 percent logged in December 2025. Over the same period, those expressing distrust barely moved, slipping one point to 30 percent, and the share of undecided respondents fell from 22 percent to 16 percent.
Satisfaction with Marcos’ job performance followed a similar trajectory, rising three points to 54 percent. The proportion of dissatisfied respondents edged down to 26 percent, while undecided responses declined from 22 percent to 19 percent.
OCTA attributed the movement to what it described as “a consolidation and clearer alignment in public perceptions of his leadership.”
The Vice President’s numbers tell a different story. Duterte’s trust rating held relatively steady, with 55 percent saying they trust her, up from 53 percent, and distrust remaining at 26 percent. But her performance rating slipped four points to 50 percent satisfied, while the share of undecided respondents grew from 18 percent to 22 percent. Dissatisfied respondents were unchanged at 28 percent.
OCTA characterized the shift as “a softening in public evaluation and more varied perceptions across different groups.”
The research firm said the contrasting movements between the two officials point to a widening gap in how the public views each of them. “While public assessments of the President appear to be becoming more defined and favorable, views of the Vice President are becoming more mixed and differentiated,” OCTA said.
The firm added that factors beyond domestic politics — including global geopolitical tensions and their economic consequences — may be shaping how Filipinos weigh leadership performance heading into the next period.
