SEVEN in 10 Filipinos (71 percent) believe that government officials involved in the irregularities in flood control projects will be held accountable, according to latest Pulse Asia survey.
Meanwhile, Malacañang on Wednesday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s performance amid slight declines in recent trust ratings, saying the public is increasingly aware of his efforts to fight corruption and uplift living conditions despite ongoing national challenges.
This sentiment is more pronounced in Metro Manila with 47 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 43 percent, Mindanao at 40 percent and Visayas at 26 percent.
The Ulat ng Bayan poll also showed that at least half of Filipino adults (51 percent) trust media’s role in addressing corruption involving flood control projects. Civil society organizations followed closely with 50 percent of the respondents expressing trust in them.
The results also revealed that public trust in the Senate stands at 37 percent, while 36 percent are unsure about the chamber’s trustworthiness.
The Office of the Ombudsman has nearly identical figures in terms of public trust and indecision, with 39 percent expressing trust and 43 percent expressing indecision.
In the House of Representatives, a similar situation is observed, as 36% of respondents distrust the lower chamber, while 40 percent are uncertain about their feelings, neither trusting nor distrusting.
The face-to-face survey was conducted on Sept. 27-30, covering 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above.
The sampling error margin is ± 2.8 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95 percent confidence level: ± 5.7 percent for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
In a statement, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Marcos remains focused on governance rather than political popularity, emphasizing that Filipinos are beginning to see the administration’s commitment to public service.
“President Marcos is truly working and fighting corruption. He remains relentless in improving the lives of every Filipino, even in the face of calamities,” Castro said.
“He may not mind the survey numbers, but he is pleased that people now recognize that the President and the government are there for them,” she added.
Castro also said the people have become “more discerning,” noting that they can distinguish leaders who genuinely serve from those driven by personal interests.
Her remarks came on the heels of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing Marcos’ trust rating at 43 percent, a slight dip from 48 percent in June 202,5 but reflecting signs of stabilization after months of neutral or declining trends.
Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, saw a sharper drop, with her trust rating declining to 53 percent from 61 percent, her steepest decrease this year.
Despite the figures, the Palace said it remains focused on governance priorities such as anti-corruption initiatives, disaster response, and social protection programs.
