By Catherine S. Valente – April 2, 2025
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is facing a significant decline in his approval and trust ratings, according to the latest Pahayag First Quarter Survey released on Wednesday.
The survey, conducted from March 15 to 20 by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., showed a significant shift in public sentiment, with approval and trust ratings of most national leaders declining alongside worsening perceptions of the country’s state.
“The approval ratings of key government officials continue to reflect broader national sentiment, with most leaders experiencing a decline in public support,” PUBLiCUS Asia said.
“However, Vice President Sara Duterte stands out as the only top official to see an improvement in her approval ratings this quarter, suggesting a deeper public divide in the ongoing political rift between President Marcos and the Duterte faction,” it added.
In the survey, Marcos saw his approval rating drop from 33 percent to 19 percent, with disapproval reaching 57 percent.
Duterte improved her approval rating from 37 percent to 42 percent, while her disapproval remained at 37 percent.
Senate President Chiz Escudero also saw a decline in approval from 37 percent to 31 percent, with a disapproval rating of 33 percent.
Speaker Martin Romualdez dropped from 20 percent to 14 percent while Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also saw a dip in approval, from 25 percent to 20 percent.
In the same survey, PUBLiCUS Asia said trust ratings followed a similar trend to approval ratings, with most national leaders experiencing a decline—except for Duterte, whose trust ratings rose against the overall negative trend.
Marcos’ trust rating fell from 23 percent to 14 percent, with 63 percent of respondents expressing distrust.
Duterte saw an increase in trust from 31 percent to 39 percent, while her distrust rating remained at 39 percent.
Escudero’s trust rating dipped slightly from 26 percent to 22 percent, while Romualdez’s trust rating also dropped from 13 percent to 10 percent.
Meanwhile, Gesmundo’s trust rating remained stable at 16 percent.