Marcos’ trust rating at 34%, Sara Duterte at 57% in SWS June poll

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and VP Sara Duterte —Marianne Bermudez/Niño Jesus Orbeta MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) next week, President Marcos’ trust rating dropped by a percentage point to a new record-low in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. Vice President Sara Duterte maintained a stronger level of public confidence amid her impeachment trial. Commissioned and released on Sunday by think tank Stratbase Group, the SWS survey conducted from June 20 to 29 showed that 34 percent of Filipinos said they had “much trust” in Marcos—down from 35 percent in the previous survey in March. Article continues after this advertisement This was the lowest trust rating received by Marcos since July 2024 when he had enjoyed his highest confidence among Filipinos at 64 percent. READ: Marcos’ net satisfaction rating rises to -7 in June The other 45 percent said they had “little trust” with the President—the highest level of distrust Marcos had received since getting 41 percent in November 2025. The remaining 19 percent of the respondents were undecided. Trust in VP Marcos’ trust rating had steadily dropped since July 2024, when he and his estranged ally Duterte, his running mate in 2022, started on equal footing, with the Vice President enjoying a high 65 percent. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Analyst tracks why Marcos ratings sank most in Mindanao The President’s numbers briefly recovered in May and June last year (at 38 and 48 percent of high trust, respectively), before dropping in the succeeding months until his new low in the latest survey. Article continues after this advertisement Duterte sustained a comparatively high level of public trust among Filipinos, despite the controversies thrown at her, which led to her being impeached twice in two years. The survey found that 57 percent of Filipinos said they had much trust in the Vice President in June 2026, a figure that remained unchanged from March this year. Twenty-seven percent said they had little trust in her, while 15 percent were undecided. Marcos is set to deliver his penultimate Sona a week later on July 27. Unfazed by poll numbers The House of Representatives has yet to confirm if Duterte will attend this year’s Sona after skipping it in the past two years since her fallout with the President in 2024. Malacañang on July 16 said Marcos is already finalizing his Sona speech but declined to disclose specific details or key themes to be highlighted by the President. According to Palace press officer Claire Castro, Marcos remains unfazed by his recent trust and public approval ratings. She said his priority is to work for Filipinos rather than improving his survey numbers. ‘Wake-up call’ Castro also said members of the Cabinet should use the survey to improve services to Filipinos. For Stratbase Institute president Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit, the latest survey results should be seen as a key opportunity for the Marcos administration to respond to growing public concerns and outline its priorities for the remainder of its term. While Malacañang had chosen to repeatedly dismiss every survey result, Manhit said the latest findings should already serve as a “wake-up call” for Marcos. “As President Marcos prepares to deliver his fifth Sona, Filipinos will be looking not for rhetoric but for a clear plan to address the issues that affect their daily lives,” Manhit said. He urged the President to “demonstrate stronger political will in bringing down the cost of food and other basic commodities, ensuring stable prices, creating quality jobs, and improving the delivery of essential public services.” ‘Public confidence’ Manhit also advised the President to use the Sona to reassure the public that the government is serious about strengthening accountability and good governance. “Recent controversies, including questions surrounding flood control projects and the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President, have heightened public demand for transparency and responsible leadership,” he said. “The President has an opportunity to show that no one is above accountability and that public resources will be protected. Restoring public confidence begins with delivering meaningful solutions to the everyday concerns of the Filipino people,” he added. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. The survey, which polled 1,200 respondents, had an error margin of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Luzon outside Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao, at a 95-percent confidence level. It utilized face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire with visuals. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH