A Pulse Asia survey conducted from Sept. 6 to 13 showed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintained steady approval and trust ratings, while Vice President Sara Duterte experienced a decline in both.

In its report released on Monday, Sept. 30, Pulse Asia said President Marcos received the same approval and trust scores, both at 50 percent.

It pointed out that the President’s approval rating is “essentially constant” compared to 53 percent in June.

However, his approval ratings dropped in Metro Manila (-9 percentage points) and Mindanao (-12 percentage points) while his disapproval scores rose in Mindanao (+15 percentage points) and Class ABC (+17 percentage points).

Pulse Asia also revealed that President Marcos’ trust rating remained steady, considering the +/-2 margin of error, from 52 percent in June. 

It noted that the only significant changes in the President’s trustworthiness ratings were a decline in trust in Mindanao (-14 percentage points) and an increase in distrust in the same area (+16 percentage points).

Lower scores for VP Sara

Meanwhile, Vice President Duterte received majority approval and trust ratings of 60 percent and 61 percent, respectively, in September, down from 69 percent approval and 71 percent trust in June.

Pulse Asia said disapproval for the Vice President’s performance became “more manifested” from 9 percent to 17 percent.

Across geographic areas, her approval scores declined in Metro Manila (-28 percentage points), the Visayas (-9 percentage points), and Class D (-10 percentage points). 

In contrast, disapproval for her work became more pronounced in Metro Manila (+16 percentage points), the rest of Luzon (+10 percentage points), and Class D (+10 percentage points). 

Pulse Asia also explained that the decline in her overall trust rating translated to a rise in her national distrust score (+9 percentage points). 

In the different areas and classes, trust in the Vice President decreased in Metro Manila (-29 percentage points), the rest of Luzon (-9 percentage points), and Class D (-12 percentage points).

Meanwhile, distrust in her became more marked in these same subgroupings (+20, +10, and +11 percentage points, respectively).

Other officials’ trust, approval ratings

Pulse Asia also revealed that Senate President Francis Escudero received majority approval and trust ratings of 60 percent and 56 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, a big plurality of Filipinos expressed ambivalence regarding the performance and trustworthiness of Speaker Martin Romualdez—both at 44 percent.

Pulse Asia noted that Romualdez’s approval rating remains essentially constant, while there is no comparative data for Escudero for the same period.

“In the case of House Speaker Romualdez, appreciation for his work eases in the Visayas (-17 percentage points) and Class E (-15 percentage points), while disapproval becomes more marked in Mindanao (+12 percentage points),” it said.

Meanwhile, Escudero’s trust rating dipped by 13 percentage points, accompanied by an increase in the level ofambivalence about his trustworthiness (+9 percentage points).

“Senate President Escudero has experienced a drop in his trust ratings in almost all areas (-11 to -18 percentage points) and every class (-12 to -17 percentage points), with Mindanao being the exception,” Pulse Asia said.

In addition, Pulse Asia said trust in Speaker Romualdez decreased in the Visayas (-18 percentage points), Class ABC (-16 percentage points), and Class E (-15 percentage points), while his distrust score went up in Mindanao (+13 percentage points). 

Pulse Asia Research’s September 2024 nationwide survey on the performance and trustworthiness ratings of top national government officials was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adult respondents.