PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s trust rating dropped slightly in the second quarter of 2026, while Vice President Sara Duterte maintained a significantly higher trust rating, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group.
In the survey conducted in June, 34 percent of respondents said they had "much trust" in Marcos, down 1 percentage point from 35 percent recorded in March.
Meanwhile, 45 percent said they had little trust in the president, while 19 percent were undecided.
The latest result extends the downtrend in Marcos' trust ratings since July 2024, when 64 percent of respondents expressed much trust in him.
His rating declined throughout 2025, briefly recovering to 48 percent in June that year before falling to 34 percent.
In contrast, Duterte's trust rating remained unchanged at 57 percent from the March survey.
However, the proportion of respondents who said they had little trust in the vice president increased by 5 percentage points to 27 percent, while 15 percent remained undecided.
The survey was conducted ahead of President Marcos' fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) next week.
Stratbase Institute President Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit said the findings should prompt the administration to address public concerns and present clear priorities for the remainder of the president's term.
"The findings should serve as a wake-up call for the administration," Manhit said.
"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," he said.
Manhit said the president should demonstrate stronger political will in addressing the rising cost of food and other basic commodities, maintaining stable prices, creating quality jobs, and improving the delivery of essential public services.
He also said Marcos should use the SONA to reassure the public of the administration's commitment to accountability and good governance.
According to Manhit, recent controversies involving flood control projects and the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Duterte have heightened public demand for transparency and responsible leadership.
"The president has an opportunity to show that no one is above accountability and that public resources will be protected. Restoring public confidence begins with delivering meaningful solutions to the everyday concerns of the Filipino people," he said.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire with visual aids among 1,200 respondents nationwide.
It has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points for national estimates and ±6 percentage points for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, at the 95-percent confidence level.
