Marcos trust ratings up – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Public trust in President Marcos recovered in the second quarter, while Vice President Sara Duterte remained the most trusted state official, a Social Weather Stations survey showed.

The June 25 to 29 SWS survey commissioned by the Stratbase group found that 48 percent of respondents trust Marcos, up 10 points from 38 percent in May.

Respondents who had little trust in the President dropped from 39 to 30 percent, while undecided respondents remained at 21 percent.

Marcos’ net trust rating recovered from -1 in May to +18 in June.

A positive trust rating for Marcos was last recorded in February, when 43 percent of respondents said they trust him, while 32 percent had little trust (+11).

Stratbase president Dindo Manhit said Marcos’ increased trust rating “signals a possible renewed public confidence in his administration.”

“He must sustain these trust ratings since they are crucial indicators of political stability and governance performance… Ultimately, public trust must be earned through transparent leadership, accountability and a strong commitment to public service,” he added.

The Vice President, meanwhile, has maintained a majority trust rating.

From 60 percent in May, those who said they had much trust in her hardly moved to 61 percent in June.

Respondents who had little trust in Duterte remained at 23 percent, while undecided respondents went down from 16 to 14 percent.

Duterte obtained a net trust rating of +38, a slight improvement from +37 in May.

The Vice President saw her lowest trust rating in January, when only 49 percent of respondents said they had much trust in her, while 30 percent had little trust, resulting in a net trust rating of +19.

Malacañang said the improved survey numbers should not make the government complacent.

“We are happy that people are seeing what the administration is doing. But again, the numbers should not be a factor for the President to be complacent because regardless of the numbers that appeared in the survey, our President will continue to serve and to work,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

Castro said the higher poll numbers came despite efforts of “obstructionists” to malign the President.

Asked what the government would do to bring Marcos’ numbers closer to that of Duterte’s, Castro replied: “We will not do anything but work. We will work and we will not go on vacation as long as we can. We will keep on working.”

Other officials

Senate President Francis Escudero and Speaker Martin Romualdez gained higher trust ratings in June.

From 47 percent in May, those who had much trust in Escudero improved to 55 percent.

Respondents who had little trust in him decreased from 28 to 23 percent, while undecided respondents went down from 23 to 21 percent.

Romualdez, meanwhile, obtained a trust rating of 34 percent, up from 26 percent.

Respondents who had little trust in him dropped from 43 to 34 percent, while undecided respondents remained at 27 percent.

Trust in House

Public trust in the House of Representatives has reached 57 percent in June, marking a strong finish for the lower chamber under Romualdez’s leadership of the 19th Congress.

The House had obtained trust ratings of 49 percent in May and 34 percent in April.

Romualdez’s trust rating rose to 34 percent in June, from 26 percent in May and 23 percent in April.

Sixty-one of 64 priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council were passed by the House, along with the enactment of over 280 new laws and filing of over 13,800 bills, House spokesperson Princess Abante noted.

Popular support

Improvements in the trust ratings of Marcos and the House in the last three months of the 19th Congress reflect “growing popular support” for the President and Romualdez’s strong leadership, La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said.

A House supermajority will reportedly vote for Romualdez as Speaker anew on July 28, when the 20th Congress convenes and the chamber elects its new leaders.

Walang Gutom

Meanwhile, Leyte Rep. Romualdez vowed yesterday that Congress will fully support Marcos and the Walang Gutom program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Adequate funding will be provided to the DSWD under the proposed 2026 national budget, he noted.

The DSWD earlier announced plans to expand the program from its current reach of 300,000 households to 750,000 food-poor families by next year.

The program provides P3,000 worth of monthly food credits through an electronic benefit transfer card that can be used to purchase food items from accredited merchants.

Romualdez also cited the coordination between the DSWD and Department of Agriculture (DA) in implementing the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, which makes P20-per-kilo rice available at select Kadiwa stores and partner retailers — primarily to Walang Gutom beneficiaries.

Romualdez urged lawmakers to rally behind the 2026 General Appropriations bill to provide the DSWD and DA with the resources needed to meet the program’s growing goals. — Jose Rodel Clapano