Public confidence in the country’s top two officials moved in opposite directions in late November, according to a nationwide survey by Social Weather Stations, conducted as investigations into disputed flood control projects entered the courts.
The poll placed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at a net trust rating of –3 percent, reflecting a narrower base of support than disapproval. The President received 38 percent “much trust” responses, while 41 percent said they had little trust in him. This marked a decline from his October 2025 net trust score of 7 percent.
By contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte posted a stronger showing, with a net trust rating of 31 percent. She drew 56 percent “much trust” against 26 percent who expressed little trust, improving from her 25 percent net trust rating a month earlier.
Regional breakdowns showed sharply different patterns for the President. He recorded his highest net trust in Balance Luzon—areas outside Metro Manila in Luzon—at +18. In other regions, however, his ratings were negative, reaching –37 in Mindanao, –7 in the Visayas, and –8 in the National Capital Region.
The Vice President’s strongest support came from Mindanao at +74, followed by the Visayas at +43 and Balance Luzon at +12. Even in Metro Manila, where her numbers were lowest, she maintained a positive rating at +2.
The survey was commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy and carried out through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults aged 18 and above from November 24 to 30. Each major area—Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao—accounted for 300 respondents. The reported margins of error were ±3 percent nationwide and ±6 percent for each area. National estimates were weighted using medium-population projections for 2025 from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Given a sponsor-authorized release of commissioned survey items, SWS is disclosing pertinent survey results and technical details for the benefit of the public,” the polling firm said.
The survey period coincided with developments in cases pursued by the Office of the Ombudsman. In November, the Ombudsman filed malversation and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and 16 others over an alleged P289-million substandard road dike project in Oriental Mindoro. Separate malversation and graft cases were filed in December against contractor Sarah Discaya and others at a regional trial court in Digos City, Davao del Sur, involving a P96.5-million flood control project in Davao Occidental.
