Pulse Asia: Marcos, Duterte trust ratings fall as corruption woes drag on

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December 30, 2025 | 2:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — The trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte both declined this December, according to a survey conducted by Pulse Asia. 

In a report released on Tuesday, December 30, the trust ratings of both Marcos and Duterte declined by two points, with the vice president still holding the higher trust score. 

Marcos scored a net trust rating of 32, down from his score in September of 34. Meanwhile, Duterte held a trust score of 56 in September, which declined to 54. 

In terms of performance, Duterte still had a high performance rating of 56 compared to Marcos’ 34—both had a one-point increase from their respective September ratings. 

Marcos scored the highest in his bailiwick of Luzon for both his trust and performance ratings. Duterte held the strongest ratings in Visayas and Mindanao. 

While both Marcos and Duterte’s trust and performance ratings moved by mere inches, fighting corruption remained one of the chief concerns for many Filipinos, only being preceded by controlling inflation. 

The top five concerns for Filipinos are as follows: controlling inflation, fighting graft and corruption, increasing workers’ pay, reducing poverty for Filipinos, and creating more jobs. 

Pulse Asia listed 18 concerns overall, with the national administration only scoring one majority approval rating: the protection of the welfare of overseas Filipino workers. 

The Palace has maintained that the results of the Pulse Asia survey are mere guidelines and will not affect the president. 

However, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that Marcos’ crackdown on corruption may have led him to be less liked. 

“Kung ang dahilan ng pagbaba ng rating ng Pangulo ay dahil sa ginagawa niya sa pagpapaimbestiga sa mga sangkot sa maanomalyang flood control projects  na nakakaapekto sa ekonomiya na nagiging sanhi ng political noise, hindi iindahin ng Pangulo ang pagbaba ng rating dahil sa ang ginawa niya ay isang right decision na maaaring hindi popular decision dahil maraming maaapektuhang tao at politiko,” Castro told reporters. 

(If the President’s ratings decline because of his investigation into those involved in the anomalous flood control projects that affected the economy because of all the political noise, the President will not mind low ratings because he made the right decision that may be unpopular because of how people and politicians are affected.) 

The Marcos administration was rocked by its largest corruption scandal yet, with billions of pesos suspected of being stolen from the country’s coffers through kickback schemes in flood control projects.