AN overwhelming majority (81 percent) or eight in 10 Filipinos believe corruption has worsened since the declaration of Martial Law 53 years ago, indicating that the issue remains entrenched despite decades of reform pledges, according to a survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia.
The recent Pahayag poll showed that perceptions of worsening corruption were most pronounced in Central Luzon at 83 percent, followed by Southern Luzon and the Visayas, both at 82 percent. Mindanao and the National Capital Region registered the lowest at 80 and 79 percent, respectively.
The survey also found that 77 percent, or three in four registered voters, did not participate in the rally against corruption held on September 21.
PUBLiCUS noted that these results reflect a sense of resignation among the public, suggesting that corruption has become a persistent and unresolved aspect of governance.
When asked about accountability for the ₱1 trillion in budget realignments planned between 2023 and 2025, nearly half of the respondents (49 percent) held both President Marcos Jr. and the House of Representatives accountable.
In contrast, 24 percent blamed only the President, while 11 percent blamed Congress.
PUBLiCUS also pointed out that nearly nine in ten Filipinos attribute responsibility for corruption and fiscal mismanagement to either or both the executive and legislative branches.
This underscores a widespread perception that these issues are systemic rather than confined to a single leader or institution.
The survey was conducted from September 27 to 30 among 1,500 randomly selected respondents from a market research panel of registered Filipino voters maintained by the Singapore office of PureSpectrum, a U.S.-based panel marketplace.
Pahayag is a corporate social responsibility initiative of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., which has tracked key governance metrics since 2017. Vox Opinion Research has served as its commissioned research arm since 2007.
