Filipinos upbeat about the economy, supportive of Marcos policies—survey

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saw a recovery in both approval and trust ratings in the second quarter of 2025, according to the latest PAHAYAG survey conducted by Publicus Asia, Inc.

Mr. Marcos’ approval rating rose to 25%, reversing declines from the previous two quarters, while his trust rating climbed from 14% to 19%, with gains observed across most regions and demographic segments.

Vice President Sara Duterte, however, experienced a drop in public support as her approval rating slid back to 36% from 42%, and trust declined slightly to 33% from 35%, with notable dips in Northern and Central Luzon and Mindanao.

Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero continued his downward trend with an approval rating of 28% and trust at 19%, while House Speaker Martin Romualdez held steady at 15% approval and 10% trust.

Public sentiment coalesced around three major policy priorities: the promise of P20 per kilo rice, which gained overwhelming support from 8 in 10 respondents; the proposal to raise the minimum wage without a bicameral conference, backed by 6 in 10; and the conduct of the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in October 2025.

Respondents strongly opposed the use of P33.155 billion in aid funds for campaign purposes, with 66% rejecting the idea, and also pushed back against the postponement of the December 2025 barangay elections, which 55% opposed.

Corruption (21%), the economy (11%), and inflation (11%) remained the top concerns that the public wanted the Marcos administration to prioritize.

Among younger and unemployed respondents, the difficulty of finding a job stood out as a top concern at 15%, while 40- to 49-year-olds and private sector workers reported job security anxiety at 16%.

Optimism about the national economy in the next quarter grew to 43%, while 53% expressed confidence that their household finances would improve during the same period.

The National Capital Region was the only area where declines in sentiment were recorded, in contrast to improvements elsewhere.

The non-commissioned, independent quarterly poll was conducted from June 27 to 30 and surveyed 1,500 registered Filipino voters.