Metro Manila, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s sharply lower trust ratings at the end of 2025 should not be dismissed by his administration, a political analyst said, warning that continuing negative public sentiment can erode political capital.
In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, political science professor Dennis Coronacion said surveys showing a drop in Marcos’ trust ratings reflect mounting public frustration, particularly over unmet promises and corruption concerns tied to flood control projects.
“It should not be totally ignored,” Coronacion said in an interview. “These surveys serve as a feedback mechanism. They are objective data showing how the public views the president’s performance at a given point in time.”
Recent polls by Social Weather Stations placed Marcos’ net trust rating at negative 3%, while Pulse Asia recorded a lower but still positive 32%. In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte posted significantly higher trust scores in both surveys.
Coronacion said the president’s numbers suffered in part because the presidency is the focal point of public scrutiny in the political system, while the vice president is often viewed as playing a secondary role.
“When people are dissatisfied with governance, it is the president who absorbs the blame,” he said.
He added that the timing of the surveys coincided with heightened public anger over alleged corruption in flood control projects and disappointment over what many perceived as a lack of results following Marcos’ pledge that high-profile offenders — or “big fish” — would be held accountable by a government-set deadline.
While administrations often publicly downplay survey results, Coronacion said Malacañang can only ignore declining ratings “to a certain extent.”
“They don’t have to be demoralized by it. But it should challenge the president to perform better and correct what the public sees as shortcomings.”
Coronacion also said Duterte’s relatively strong ratings suggest that criticism from the Palace — including remarks about her frequent overseas travel — has not resonated with the public, largely because the most contentious issues are associated with the sitting administration rather than the vice president.
