At least half of Filipinos expressed satisfaction with the Marcos administration’s performance, with the President’s trust ratings at 50% while Vice President Sara Duterte’s dipped to 49%, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
President Marcos’ trust rating slipped from 54% in December 2024 to 50% in January 2025.
While the number of Filipinos with “little trust” in him remained largely unchanged, those who are “undecided” went up from 19% to 22%.
The President’s highest trust rating was recorded in Balance Luzon at 60%, though this marked a six-point drop from December.
Meanwhile, distrust remains highest in Mindanao, where 36% of respondents said they have “little trust” in him.
VP Duterte’s trust rating declined from 52% in December 2024 to 49% in January 2025. The percentage of Filipinos with “little trust” in her remained steady at 30%, while the number of undecided respondents increased from 17% to 20%.
Duterte continues to enjoy the strongest support in Mindanao, her family’s bailiwick, where 78% of respondents expressed “much trust” in her. However, it is important to note that this is five percentage points lower than in December.
On the other hand, Balance Luzon recorded the highest level of distrust toward the Vice President, with 41% saying they have “little trust” in her—up by four points from December.
Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit attributed the continuous decline in trust ratings to growing public frustration over the “administration’s weak response to rising inflation.”
Earlier, an SWS report showed that Filipinos rated the administration’s performance on “fighting inflation” as “poor.” Concerns over hunger and access to food remain high, especially as inflation is expected to accelerate further in 2025 due to potential hikes in transport fares and electricity rates.
“To restore public confidence, the Marcos administration must double down on its responses by implementing long-term solutions to stabilize inflation and support struggling Filipino households,” Manhit said.
For the Vice President, Manhit noted that her declining trust rating could be linked to her “continued reluctance to explain her spending on the allocation of confidential and intelligence funds.”
“At a time when many are struggling with the high cost of basic necessities, the public needs reassurance—now more than ever—that taxpayers’ money is being spent properly to benefit the Filipino people. The Vice President’s refusal to address questions regarding her spending of public funds is understandably eroding her public trust rating,” he added.
Thousands of protesters gathered on Friday to demand the impeachment of VP Duterte. This comes after the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s National Rally for Peace, which called for “national unity” and urged the public to defer impeachment efforts against Duterte.
The survey was conducted with 1,800 respondents with ±2% margin of error.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “SWS: Marcos, Duterte trust ratings drop further in January.”