Confidence in government accountability is steadily fading as the flood control scandal drags on. The latest Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan survey shows only 59 percent of Filipinos now believe the officials involved will be punished — down sharply from 71 percent in September 2025.
After months of investigations with no clear outcome, many are starting to doubt justice will ever catch up to the controversy that dominated much of last year.
With their trust in formal institutions slipping, more Filipinos are turning to the media. A majority said they rely on journalists to keep the pressure on corrupt officials, especially when Senate hearings and Ombudsman investigations seem slow or ineffective.
For many, the media coverage has become the public’s most reliable tool for accountability, exposing the alleged misuse of flood control funds and keeping the story in the spotlight.
Confidence in formal investigations remains mixed. About 36 percent said probes — such as the one conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee — sometimes reveal the truth but have limited real-world impact. This perception grew stronger toward the end of 2025, rising by eight percentage points from September to December, signaling growing frustration over the slow progress.
Doubts also extend to the justice system itself. While 44 percent of respondents still believe high-level corruption cases can be successfully prosecuted, a slim majority — 51 percent — said that political influence and the use of power to evade conviction are the biggest factors shaping court decisions.
The survey was conducted amid the series of high-profile political and legal developments.
These included the Sandiganbayan’s declaration of former Ako Bicol Partylist Representative Elizaldy Co and three others as fugitives from justice, the resignation of key Cabinet officials, and the filing of plunder, graft, and bribery complaints against several lawmakers and senior officials before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Public opinion was also shaped by the mass protests and rallies demanding transparency, as well as the livestreamed and closed-door hearings by investigative bodies probing the misuse of flood control funds.
Pulse Asia said the nationwide survey, conducted from 12 to 15 December 2025, involved face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 and above, with a ±2.8 percent margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.
Overall, the findings depict a public that still believes corruption can be exposed — largely through media coverage — but is increasingly doubtful the institutions tasked with delivering justice can follow through.
The survey underscores a stark reality: With formal investigations lagging, visibility and public scrutiny are becoming the main tools Filipinos trust to hold their officials accountable.