Pro-Duterte support surges among lower-income group

A pre-election survey for 2025, conducted by a private polling firm, has shown a shift in political preferences among adult Filipinos. The survey revealed a surge in pro-Duterte affiliation among the lowest-income group, while pro-Marcos supporters continue to dominate nationwide.

According to the survey, released on 19 February, 36 percent of adult Filipinos still identify as pro-Marcos, showing only a slight two-percentage point decline from the previous study conducted in August 2024.

In contrast, pro-Duterte affiliation has sharply increased among Class E respondents, rising from 21 percent in the third quarter of 2024 to 41 percent in the latest survey.

“This surge indicates a strong resurgence of pro-Duterte support in the first quarter of 2025, reversing the previously observed downward trend,” the research firm stated.

Meanwhile, support for the opposition showed minimal change, increasing by only one percentage point to 8 percent in 2025. Opposition support remains strongest in the Visayas at 12 percent, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) at 10 percent.

Regionally, Marcos’s support in Balance Luzon rose by 4 percentage points, from 43 percent to 47 percent. His strongest bases remain in the Bicol Region (78 percent) and the Ilocos Region (71 percent).

Support for the Duterte family and their allies continues to be concentrated in Mindanao.

Pro-Marcos preferences are strongest among Classes A, B, and C, while opposition support is highest among individuals with college and postgraduate education.

The survey data was gathered from 25 to 31 January through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above, with a ±3 percent margin of error.