“What this signal is a shift in public mood resulting from economic pressures and governance failures”
THE latest dip in trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte foreshadows a volatile political climate heading into the 2028 elections, with public frustration over corruption and governance likely to reshape alliances, narratives, and voter mobilization.
The Sept. 2025 Social Weather Stations survey revealed eroding trust and confidence in the country’s top two leaders.
President Marcos’ trust rating fell to 43 percent, down from 48 percent in June. Vice President Duterte’s rating dropped to 53 percent, a sharper decline from 61 percent. The survey was conducted days after the massive Sept. 21 anti-corruption protests, triggered by the flood control scandal involving billions in public funds.
What this signals is a shift in public mood resulting from economic pressures and governance failures.
Corruption is a flashpoint: The timing of the survey, held immediately after nationwide protests, suggests that corruption scandals are now directly impacting on the current political situation.
When the rains came this year, they didn’t just flood streets, they exposed the rotten system beneath them. The Philippine flood control scandal, now etched into public consciousness, has revealed a disturbing truth: corruption isn’t just about stolen money.
It’s about stolen futures, drowned communities, and broken systems that fail when they’re needed most.
In July 2025, President Marcos Jr. acknowledged in his State of the Nation Address what whistleblowers and watchdogs had long suspected: billions of pesos were siphoned off through “ghost” flood control projects.
These were not just accounting errors but were deliberate acts of collusion between public officials, lawmakers, and contractors.
A Pulse Asia survey found that nine in ten Filipinos believe there was collusion in the theft of flood control funds, cutting across regions and income levels.
The consequences have been staggering. Infrastructure meant to protect lives was either never built or grossly substandard. Communities in various areas in the country were submerged, not just by water but by betrayal.
The scandal triggered leadership changes in the Department of Public Works and Highways and Congress, but the damage runs deeper.
What the floods revealed is a system where oversight is weak, accountability is delayed, and public trust is fragile. The scandal is not an isolated incident, but a symptom of a governance model that prioritizes patronage over performance, opacity over transparency.
But this moment also offers a chance for reform. We must demand independent audits of all infrastructure projects, past and present.
We should pursue permanent citizen oversight mechanisms, especially in procurement and implementation. We must intensify civic education that empowers young Filipinos to recognize and resist corruption. And we should also push for legal reforms that criminalize collusion and protect whistleblowers.
What the decline in the trust ratings of the top two national leaders after nationwide anti-corruption mobilizations suggests is that the balance in Philippine politics could drastically change, with traditional dynasties facing stronger scrutiny in the years ahead.
This decline could also open space for challengers who position themselves as clean, competent, and reform-oriented.
We have witnessed in recent weeks the youth and civil society—or the organized citizenry—mobilizing against corruption. The protests were notable for their decentralized, youth-led character. This could signal a growing appetite for alternative leadership and reformist platforms.
How will current events impact on the 2028 presidential elections?
We see coalition politics intensifying in scope and breadth. We can also expect realignments as parties recalibrate their strategies. Politicians may distance themselves from scandal-tainted figures or double down on populist narratives to retain their base.
We also anticipate civic engagement to reshape the playing field. If the momentum from anti-corruption protests sustains, it could lead to higher voter turnout, more issue-based campaigning, and stronger demands for transparency.
There are concrete moves that could connect outrage to action. One is to call for participatory budgeting and oversight. Another is to create platforms that challenge patronage politics with integrity-based leadership. Still another is to mobilize the citizenry to demand transparency, accountability, and reform in the lead-up to the 2028 national elections.
It is important to point out that corruption and declining trust are systemic issues, not isolated scandals. Mass mobilization efforts should link flood control corruption to broader governance failures. Civic education should explain how patronage, dynasties, and weak oversight erode public trust.
The floods washed away more than homes, they washed away illusions. If we fail to act now, we risk rebuilding on the same broken foundations.
But if we seize this moment, we can reconstruct not just our roads and drainage systems, but our democracy itself. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
