Marcos Trust Rating Rises to 36%, Duterte Holds at 56% — SWS Survey
Key Takeaways
- •President Marcos's trust rating climbed two percentage points to 36% in September but remains well below the 64% recorded in July 2024 following a general decline through much of 2025.
- •Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio leads the President by 20 points with a 56% trust rating, edging down one point from June despite her ongoing impeachment trial.
- •Mindanao recorded the largest gain in trust in Marcos, with much trust rising sharply to 35% from 17%, although 44% of respondents in the region still expressed little trust.
- •Duterte remained strongest in Mindanao, where 87% expressed much trust in her and only 4% reported little trust, while her rating in the rest of Luzon fell to 41% from 45%.
- •The survey covered 1,500 respondents nationwide with a ±3 percentage point error margin, and Stratbase's chief said both leaders will keep facing public scrutiny over the cost of living, flood control scandal arrests, and the impeachment trial.
By Pexcel John Bacon
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.'s trust rating climbed by two percentage points to 36% in September, while Vice-President (VP) Sara Duterte-Carpio maintained a substantial lead at 56% despite her ongoing impeachment trial, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The nationwide poll, conducted Sept. 21-27 and commissioned by the Stratbase Group, found that 40% of Filipinos had little trust in Mr. Marcos, down from 45% in June, while 22% were undecided. Such surveys are regularly used to gauge public sentiment toward the country's top leaders, and the September round leaves Ms. Duterte 20 points ahead of Mr. Marcos in much trust.
Despite the uptick, the President's trust score remains well below the 64% recorded in July 2024, following a general decline through much of 2025.
Mindanao posted the largest improvement in trust in Mr. Marcos, with 35% of respondents expressing much trust in him, up sharply from 17% in June. Even so, 44% of respondents in the region still said they had little trust in the President.
In Metro Manila, 31% expressed much trust in Mr. Marcos, against 43% who had little trust and 25% who were undecided. The rest of Luzon recorded the President's highest trust rating among the four major geographic areas at 40%, while 35% expressed little trust. In the Visayas, 33% said they had much trust in Mr. Marcos, compared with 44% who had little trust.
Ms. Duterte's trust rating, meanwhile, slipped by one percentage point to 56% from June. The survey found that 26% of respondents had little trust in the Vice-President, while 17% were undecided.
The Vice-President remained strongest in Mindanao, where 87% expressed much trust in her and only 4% said they had little trust. In the Visayas, 60% expressed much trust, compared with 24% who had little trust. Her trust rating in Metro Manila stood at 46%, while 33% of respondents expressed little trust. In the rest of Luzon, the share expressing much trust in Ms. Duterte fell to 41% from 45% in June, while 35% said they had little trust.
Stratbase President and Chief Executive Officer Victor Andres "Dindo" C. Manhit said both leaders would continue to face public scrutiny over issues involving their administrations and families.
"Filipinos' eyes are on President Marcos and how he deals with the issues that directly affect their lives: from the rising cost of living, the aftermath of high-profile arrests from the control scandal and Duterte's ongoing impeachment trial," he said in a statement.
The survey covered 1,500 respondents nationwide and carried an error margin of ±3 percentage points for national figures. Subnational results typically carry wider error margins because of smaller sample sizes, a caveat worth keeping in mind when comparing regional movements. How the two leaders' numbers shift in succeeding survey rounds will be watched in light of the impeachment trial and the cost-of-living and flood control issues Mr. Manhit cited.
Source: BusinessWorld
