Marcos trust rating climbs to 36%, but VP Duterte maintains lead at 56%

MANILA, Philippines — While public trust in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has slightly increased in September, Vice President Sara Duterte continued to post a higher trust rating despite her ongoing impeachment trial, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The latest SWS survey, released on Tuesday and was commissioned by local think-tank Stratbase Group, showed that 36 percent of Filipinos said they had “much trust” in Marcos – 2 percentage points higher than his 34 percent trust rating in June 2026.

The increase in Marcos’ trust ratings can partly be attributed to an 18-percentage-point bump in Mindanao, the Dutertes’ bailiwick.  The survey was conducted from Sept. 21 to 27 among 1,500 respondents nationwide.

At the same time, 40 percent said they had “little trust” in the president — 5 percentage points lower than in the last survey, while 22 percent were undecided. 

Marcos’ trust rating, however, was still substantially lower than his record-high trust rating of 64 percent in July 2024.

His numbers have since fallen steadily throughout much of 2025, briefly recovering to 48 percent in June 2025, before plunging again afterwards. 

The figures were largely the same at the regional level for Marcos even in Duterte’s bailiwick Mindanao, where 35 percent of the respondents said they had much trust in the president.

In Mindanao, he gained 18 percentage points from his June 17 percent trust rating, while 44 percent said they had little trust. 

In Metro Manila, 31 percent expressed much trust in Marcos, while 43 percent said they had little trust and 25 percent were undecided.

In Balance Luzon, 40 percent said they had much trust, compared with 35 percent who had little trust and 24 percent who were undecided.

In the Visayas, 33 percent expressed much trust, while 44 percent said they had little trust and 22 percent were undecided.

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In contrast, Duterte, who is currently the subject of the ongoing Senate impeachment trial, continued to receive higher trust from Filipinos, with 56 percent saying they had “much trust” in her in September. This was 1 percentage point lower than her rating in June. 

Meanwhile, 26 percent said they had little trust while 17 percent were undecided. 

She also had higher trust ratings compared with Marcos’ numbers, in the four major regions in the country.

Duterte’s strongest numbers remained in Mindanao, where 87 percent said they had much trust in her and 4 percent said they had little trust.

In the Visayas, she recorded 60 percent much trust and 24 percent little trust.In Metro Manila, 46 percent expressed much trust in Duterte, against 33 percent who said they had little trust.

In Balance Luzon, which was supposedly the political stronghold of Marcos, 41 percent said they had much trust, while 35 percent expressed little trust. 

For Stratbase president and CEO Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit, the figures showed that both leaders would continue to face scrutiny over issues confronting their administrations and families.

“Filipinos’ eyes are on President Marcos and how he deals with the issues that directly affect their lives: from the rising costs of living, the aftermath of high-profile arrests from the flood control scandal, and Duterte’s ongoing impeachment trial,” Manhit said.

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The vice president, for her part, would also continue to face criticisms as the impeachment proceedings put her financial and business dealings under examination, he added. 

According to Manhit, the latest hearings in the impeachment trial have made fresh revelations about her and her husband’s alleged business dealings, including those supposedly related to Chinese state-linked entities.

“How she addresses these allegations and explains the financial records presented in the proceedings will also be closely watched by the public,” he said.

The impeachment trial has recently focused on financial records involving Duterte and her husband, Manases “Mans” Carpio, including testimony on alleged undeclared assets and transactions involving companies linked to them. 

The House prosecution has presented evidence alleging P817.87 million in unexplained wealth from 2022 to 2025, which the Duterte couple and their lawyers disputed. /jpv