The trust ratings of both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Vice President fell amid the most controversial corruption scandal of the administration, according to a new survey from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Wednesday, October 15.
The survey, commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy and confirmed by the SWS, was conducted from September 24 to 30, interviewing 1,500 adults.
A total of 300 people were interviewed in Metro Manila, 600 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas and 300 in Mindanao. The survey has a sampling error margin of ±3% for national percentages.
In the SWS survey, Marcos had a trust rating of 43% in September, down from 48% in June. Combined with those who do not trust him and those who are undecided, Marcos’ net trust rating stands at +7 – an 11-point decrease from +18 in June.
Marcos’ highest net trust ratings remain in his bailiwick of Luzon. He retained a +22 trust rating in Balance Luzon, yet this still represented a strong decline. The president used to enjoy high trust ratings in Balance Luzon at +40, an 18-point drop from July to September.
Marcos’ next highest trust rating is +11 in Metro Manila. This is also a significant drop from his net trust rating of +19 in June.
Meanwhile, Marcos’ net trust ratings in the Visayas and Mindanao have fallen into negative territory. In September, the president scored -1 net trust in the Visayas and -21 in Mindanao.
For the vice president, she has a net rating of +25 among those who still trust her (53% who trust her, 28% who do not, and 18% who are undecided).
Mindanao remains Duterte’s stronghold. Interviewees from the region gave her a +75 net trust rating last September. However, this is a decline from her +86 trust rating in June.
Duterte’s second-highest net trust rating is in the Visayas at +29 in September, but this is a 13-point decline from her +42 rating in June.
The vice president’s trust rating in Balance Luzon is her lowest at +4, followed by Metro Manila at +6.
This latest round of trust surveys comes amid the massive corruption scandal at the Department of Public Works and Highways. Billions of pesos are suspected to have been stolen in kickback schemes wherein lawmakers allegedly inserted money into the national budget for a cut later on.
The Palace took note of the survey results but maintained that Marcos cared little about numbers and would continue to work for the people.