Marcos Trust Rating Hits Record Low 34%; Sara Duterte at 57%

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s trust rating has dipped to a new record-low of 34% in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. This comes just ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) scheduled for next week. Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte has maintained a stronger level of public confidence at 57%, despite ongoing impeachment proceedings against her. The SWS survey, commissioned by the think tank Stratbase Group, was conducted from June 20 to 29. Marcos’ trust rating has seen a steady decline since July 2024, when he enjoyed his highest confidence among Filipinos at 64%. In the latest survey, only 34% of respondents said they had “much trust” in the President, marking his lowest rating. Conversely, 45% expressed “little trust,” the highest level of distrust Marcos has received since November 2025. The remaining 19% of respondents were undecided. Duterte, on the other hand, sustained a comparatively high level of public trust. Fifty-seven percent of Filipinos said they had much trust in the Vice President in June 2026, a figure that remained unchanged from March this year. Twenty-seven percent said they had little trust in her, while 15% were undecided. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit, president of the Stratbase Institute, commented that the latest survey results should be seen as a key opportunity for the Marcos administration to respond to growing public concerns and outline its priorities for the remainder of its term. He urged the President to demonstrate stronger political will in bringing down the cost of food and other basic commodities, ensuring stable prices, creating quality jobs, and improving the delivery of essential public services. Manhit also advised the President to use his SONA to reassure the public that the government is serious about strengthening accountability and good governance. He noted that recent controversies have heightened public demand for transparency and responsible leadership, and that restoring public confidence begins with delivering meaningful solutions to the everyday concerns of the Filipino people. Malacañang, the presidential palace, stated that President Marcos remains unfazed by his recent trust and public approval ratings. Presidential press officer Claire Castro said his priority is to work for Filipinos rather than improving his survey numbers, and that members of the Cabinet should use the survey to improve services. The survey polled 1,200 respondents with an error margin of ±3 percent for national percentages at a 95-percent confidence level, using face-to-face interviews.