Public trust in President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte has continued to decline, according to the latest nationwide survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from 24 to 30 September.
The survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, polled 1,500 respondents with a ±3 percent margin of error.
It asked Filipinos to rate their level of trust in top government officials using five categories: “very much,” “somewhat much,” “undecided,” “somewhat little,” and “very little.”
Vice President Duterte recorded the sharpest drop, with her trust rating falling by eight percentage points—from 61 percent in June to 53 percent—marking her steepest decline this year.
“These results reflect a shifting public mood. Filipinos are reassessing their confidence in the country’s top leaders, with both experiencing dips in trust, though the Vice President’s decline is more significant,” Stratbase Group President Professor Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said in a statement.
Despite continuing strong support in her political stronghold of Mindanao, where she retains an 82 percent trust rating, Duterte’s numbers fell significantly in other regions: Balance Luzon dropped to 40 percent (from 49 percent), the Visayas to 56 percent (from 63 percent), and Metro Manila to 44 percent (from 51 percent).
The decline suggests a narrowing of her once broad national base.
President Marcos, meanwhile, experienced smaller changes. While trust in him slightly increased in the Visayas (40 percent, up from 37 percent), it declined in Metro Manila (46 percent, from 50 percent) and Mindanao (27 percent, from 33 percent), indicating a growing regional divide.
Socioeconomic data also revealed shifting sentiments. Among the wealthier Classes ABC, Marcos held steady at 38 percent, but trust among the poorest Filipinos (Class E) fell sharply to 38 percent from 50 percent.
Duterte also lost ground among Class D (52 percent, down from 62 percent) and Class E (63 percent, from 68 percent), pointing to waning support among working-class and lower-income voters.
In terms of age demographics, both leaders experienced a dip in trust among younger Filipinos. Marcos remains weakest among the 18-to-34-year-old group, while Duterte—once favored by the youth—saw declines across all age groups, particularly among the youth and middle-aged sectors.
According to Manhit, the results underscore a more discerning electorate that expects results.
“When people see decisive, transparent action on the issues affecting their daily lives, confidence follows. When they don’t, it erodes—no matter how popular the leader once was,” he said. “Governance performance is the ultimate driver of trust.”
The survey results come amid rising concerns over inflation, education reform, and public accountability—issues that analysts say may be influencing public sentiment toward the country’s highest officials.