Rising prices, corruption weigh on Marcos Jr. admin ratings

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that Filipinos are most dissatisfied with the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in its efforts to address rising inflation, fuel prices, and corruption in government.

Released on June 19, the survey showed a net satisfaction rating of -13, indicating that more respondents were dissatisfied than satisfied with the administration's overall performance. Among the issues surveyed, the government's handling of rising prices registered the weakest rating at -5.

Headline inflation stood at 6.8 percent in May 2026, significantly higher than the 1.8 percent recorded at the end of 2025. The increase has largely been attributed to elevated global energy prices stemming from tensions in the Middle East, as well as higher transportation, fertilizer, and food costs.

Inflation has been particularly pronounced among the bottom 30 percent of households, reaching 8.4 percent in May, compared with 0.0 percent in the same month last year. In response, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has raised interest rates twice since March and increased its inflation forecasts for the next three years.

Economists have also warned that inflationary pressures could persist due to the expected effects of El Niño and the delayed pass-through of higher energy costs to consumer prices.

Survey respondents likewise expressed dissatisfaction with the government's efforts to address fuel prices. Domestic pump prices surged into triple-digit territory in April as global oil prices climbed amid geopolitical tensions. Concerns over possible anti-competitive behavior in the oil industry prompted the Department of Energy and the Philippine Competition Commission to explore a review of recent simultaneous fuel price increases.

Corruption also remained a key public concern. The survey recorded a net dissatisfaction rating of -10 for the government's efforts to combat corruption and other irregularities within the public sector.

Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan previously said that uncertainties arising from investigations into alleged irregularities in flood-control projects contributed to slower infrastructure spending and weaker investor sentiment in 2025.

Economic growth slowed further at the start of 2026, with gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 2.8 percent in the first quarter. Analysts have attributed the slowdown to a combination of elevated inflation, tighter monetary policy, and weaker domestic demand.

The BSP, which had eased monetary policy in 2025 to support economic activity amid low inflation, has since reversed part of that easing cycle by raising rates in response to renewed inflationary pressures.