The majority of the country’s top government officials saw a dip in their approval and trust ratings in November, according to a survey conducted by Pulse Asia and released on Saturday, Dec. 21.
President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte obtained “near-majority approval and trust ratings” based on the November 2024 “Ulat ng Bayan” national survey on the performance and trustworthiness of the top Philippine government officials, as well as the performance ratings of the national administration conducted by Pulse Asia.
November 2024 ratings
Based on its latest survey findings, Pulse Asia reported that approval and trust were the “prevailing sentiments” only toward Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero, who received approval and trust ratings of 53 percent and 51 percent, respectively.
Pulse Asia noted that among the leading officials of the national government, only Escudero enjoyed “majority approval and trust scores.”
Meanwhile, President Marcos obtained “near-majority approval and trust ratings” at 48 percent and 47 percent, respectively. Duterte, on the other hand, obtained 50 percent and 49 percent, respectively.
Pulse Asia observed that “indecision is the plurality opinion regarding the performance and trustworthiness” of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, with both ratings at 44 percent.
The levels of disapproval for the work done by these top government officials, Pulse Asia noted, ranged from 9 percent for Escudero to 32 percent for Romualdez.
“In terms of these officials’ distrust figures, they vary from 10 percent for the Senate President to 35 percent for the House Speaker,” Pulse Asia added.
The survey findings also showed that “none of these officials obtained majority approval and trust ratings across all geographic and socio-economic subgroupings.”
In Classes ABC, Pulse Asia reported that Marcos registered “almost the same approval and disapproval figures” (39 percent versus 32 percent), as well as trust and distrust ratings (40 percent versus 36 percent).
Duterte, on the other hand, recorded her “only majority approval and trust ratings” in Mindanao (80 percent and 81 percent, respectively).
Pulse Asia noted that “majority approval and trust scores” were enjoyed by Escudero in Metro Manila (both at 60 percent), the rest of Luzon (53 percent and 54 percent, respectively), and the Visayas (58 percent and 54 percent, respectively).
Most Mindanawons were critical of Romualdez’s performance (52 percent) and distrust him (56 percent), the survey revealed.
“Notable changes in public opinion regarding the work and trustworthiness of these leading government officials occurred between September 2024 and November 2024, both at the national level and across selected survey subgroupings,” Pulse Asia added.
Pulse Asia observed that, overall, appreciation for and trust in three top officials of the Philippine government “became less pronounced” during the period from September 2024 to November 2024.
From September to November 2024, Pulse Asia noted that the “only other significant changes” at the national level were the increase in the level of ambivalence regarding Escudero’s quarterly performance and the rise in Marcos’s distrust rating.
Pulse Asia added that Marcos also experienced an “increase in his disapproval and distrust scores.”
Meanwhile, Pulse Asia observed that “negative views regarding the performance and trustworthiness” of Duterte became “more notable during this period.”
Escudero’s disapproval and distrust ratings were virtually unchanged between September 2024 and November 2024, Pulse Asia noted.
Pulse Asia also observed that the “disapproval for and distrust” in Romualdez became “more pronounced” from September to November 2024.
Moreover, Pulse Asia noted that the national administration received “majority approval scores” for its handling of only two issues out of the 14 on which its performance was assessed in November 2024.
“Most Filipino adults have a positive opinion about the efforts of the incumbent administration to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (60 percent) and to respond to the needs of calamity-hit areas (57 percent),” the survey showed.
Pulse Asia further noted that public opinion regarding the work done by the current administration was “basically constant” between September 2024 and November 2024.
The survey fieldwork was conducted from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, using face-to-face interviews.
This nationwide survey is based on a sample of 2,400 representative adults aged 18 years and older, with a ± 2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level, according to Pulse Asia.