Amid corruption issues plaguing his administration, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s trust rating has fallen in the fourth quarter of the year, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. Vice President Sara Duterte's net trust rating, meanwhile, has improved. The poll highlights shifting public opinions on the nation's leaders.
The SWS survey, conducted from November 24 to 30 and commissioned by Stratbase, revealed that only 38 percent of respondents expressed "much trust" in President Marcos, down from 48 percent in June and 43 percent in September. This figure matches the May result and is slightly above the 36 percent recorded in April.
"Little trust" in the president surged to 41 percent, up from 30 percent in June and 36 percent in September—marking a record high for Marcos. Twenty percent remained undecided, similar to previous surveys.
Regionally, trust was highest in Balance Luzon at 50 percent (from 51 percent), followed by Metro Manila at 36 percent (down from 46 percent), the Visayas at 35 percent (from 40 percent), and Mindanao at 20 percent (from 27 percent). In Mindanao, 58 percent reported "little trust," a 10-point increase from September.
Vice President Sara Duterte, by contrast, retained strong support, with 56 percent indicating "much trust"—up from 53 percent in September, though below the 60 percent in May and 61 percent in June. "Little trust" dipped slightly to 26 percent from 28 percent, while 17 percent were undecided.
These findings translate to a net trust rating of -3 percent for Marcos and +31 percent for Duterte. The poll underscores challenges for the administration amid ongoing corruption concerns, even as the vice president maintains robust public backing.
