Marcos trust rating drops to 34%; Sara Duterte remains at 57%

Public trust in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Has reached a new record low, declining to 34% in the second quarter of 2026, according to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The results, released on July 19, 2026, arrive just one week before the President is scheduled to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, 2026.

The survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, involved 1,200 face-to-face interviews of Filipino adults. It highlights a persistent downward trajectory for the President, whose trust rating sat at 64% in July 2024. While the figure saw a brief recovery to 48% in June 2025, it has since slumped to the current 34%. This latest reading reflects a one-percentage-point decrease from the 35% recorded in March 2026.

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Accompanying the decline in "much trust" is a rise in "little trust," which reached 45% in the latest poll, the highest level of distrust recorded for the President since November 2025. This yields a net trust rating of -11, which SWS categorizes as "poor."

In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte maintains a more stable standing with the public. Her "much trust" rating remained at 57%, identical to the results from March 2026. However, the survey indicates an uptick in the percentage of respondents expressing "little trust" in the Vice President, which climbed by five percentage points to 27%. Her net trust rating of +30 remains in the "good" category according to SWS standards.

These findings come against a backdrop of significant national events occurring during the June 20–29 polling period, including the arrest of Senator Jinggoy Estrada, a Senate leadership struggle, and various ongoing legislative and environmental challenges. Duterte herself remains the subject of four impeachment complaints involving allegations of fund misuse, graft, corruption, and threats directed at political figures, as reported by Philstarlife.

Public Sentiment and Institutional Calls to Action

Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit, president of the Stratbase Institute, characterized the survey results as a "wake-up call" for the administration. Manhit emphasized that as the President prepares for his fifth SONA, the public is seeking concrete actions rather than rhetoric.

"As President Marcos prepares to deliver his fifth SONA, Filipinos will be looking not for rhetoric but for a clear plan to address the issues that affect their daily lives."

Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit, President, Stratbase Institute, via GMANews

Manhit further urged the administration to prioritize "stronger political will" in addressing the cost of food and basic commodities, job creation, and the delivery of public services. He suggested that the upcoming address is a critical opportunity for the President to confront public concerns regarding accountability, particularly in light of controversies surrounding flood control projects and the impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.

Comparative Trust Metrics

What to Watch Next

• State of the Nation Address (July 27, 2026): The President’s speech is expected to focus on policy priorities for the remainder of his term.
• Impeachment Proceedings: The House of Representatives has yet to confirm whether Duterte would attend Marcos’ Sona this year after skipping it in the past two years. The progress of the impeachment complaints against her remains a central point of interest in national politics.

The SWS survey maintains a margin of error of ±3% for national percentages and ±6% for specific regions including Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, at a 95% confidence level.