THE trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte both fell in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group, reflecting what analysts describe as a “shifting public mood.”
The nationwide poll, conducted from September 24 to 30 among 1,200 adults, came shortly after the September 21 anti-corruption protests held across the country following the exposure of a multi-billion-peso anomaly in government flood control projects.
Marcos’ trust rating slipped to 43 percent from 48 percent in June 2025, while 36 percent of respondents said they have “little trust” in him and 21 percent were undecided.
Duterte’s trust rating also dropped, falling to 53 percent from 61 percent in the same period.
Meanwhile, 28 percent of respondents expressed “little trust” in her, and 18 percent were undecided.
Stratbase President Dindo Manhit said the decline in both ratings shows that Filipinos are “reassessing their confidence” in the country’s top leaders. He described the trend as a sign of a maturing electorate that evaluates officials based on performance, not popularity.
“When people see decisive, transparent action, confidence follows,” Manhit noted. “When they don’t, it erodes.”
