A recent Pulse Asia survey released on Saturday reveals significant drops in trust and approval ratings for Vice President Sara Duterte and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The survey, conducted from November 26 to December 3, 2024, sheds light on public sentiment amidst political controversies.
Trust Ratings Take a Hit
- Sara Duterte: Her trust rating fell to 49%, a sharp 12-point drop from September’s 61%.
- Martin Romualdez: His trust rating slid to 31%, down by 10 points compared to two months ago.
Approval Ratings Decline
- Duterte’s approval rating dipped from 60% in September to 50% in November.
- Romualdez faced a similar challenge as his disapproval rating jumped by 8 percentage points.
Context Behind the Decline
The declines come amid impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte, accusing her of violating the Constitution, engaging in graft and corruption, bribery, and betraying public trust.
- Lawmakers filed the complaints due to Duterte’s refusal to explain her use of confidential funds and alleged budget misuse in the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, her previous department.
President Marcos and Senate President Escudero Ratings
- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s approval rating dropped slightly to 48%, down from 50% in September. His trust rating also fell by 3 points, from 50% to 47%.
- Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero saw a decline in his approval and trust ratings, which now stand at 53% and 51%, respectively, marking drops of 7 and 5 percentage points.
Public Concerns: Urgent National Issues
The survey also highlighted the top concerns of Filipinos, underscoring areas where the government is falling short:
- Controlling inflation: The Marcos administration received a net approval rating of -80, making it the most urgent issue for respondents.
- Increasing workers’ pay: A net approval rating of -26.
- Reducing poverty: Registered a net approval of -37.
Other issues, including involuntary hunger, job creation, and corruption, also saw negative net approval ratings.
Areas of Strength for the Administration
Despite these challenges, the administration received high marks for:
- Protecting overseas Filipino workers (+51 net approval).
- Responding to calamity-stricken areas (+47 net approval).
- Defending Philippine territory (+34 net approval).
Survey Details
Pulse Asia gathered data through face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adult respondents. The survey has a margin of error of ±2% at a 95% confidence level.
This latest report highlights growing public dissatisfaction with key political figures and sheds light on the pressing challenges faced by the Marcos administration.
