Duterte maintains majority approval and trust as Marcos faces high disapproval—Pulse Asia

MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte continued to receive majority approval and trust from Filipino adults, while President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. recorded high disapproval and distrust ratings, according to Pulse Asia’s September survey released Thursday.

The survey, conducted from September 17 to 24, found that 54 percent of respondents approved of Duterte’s performance, while 55 percent expressed trust in her. In comparison, 30 percent approved of Marcos’ performance and 29 percent said they trusted him.

Nearly half of respondents disapproved of the President’s performance (49 percent), while 48 percent expressed distrust in him.

Pulse Asia’s September survey showed that 49 percent of respondents disapproved of Marcos’ performance, compared with 30 percent who approved and 21 percent who were undecided.

His approval rating stood at 31 percent in Metro Manila, 42 percent in the rest of Luzon, 24 percent in the Visayas, and 10 percent in Mindanao. By socioeconomic class, approval reached 37 percent among Class ABC respondents, 30 percent among Class D, and 19 percent among Class E.

The survey showed that dissatisfaction with Marcos’ performance was pronounced in Mindanao and among Class E respondents.

Disapproval was highest in Mindanao at 71 percent, followed by the Visayas at 57 percent, Metro Manila at 45 percent, and the rest of Luzon at 36 percent.

Among socioeconomic groups, 66 percent of Class E respondents disapproved of the President’s performance, compared with 48 percent of Class D and 39 percent of Class ABC.

Compared with the preceding Pulse survey in July 2026, Marcos’ national approval rating declined by one percentage point, from 31 percent to 30 percent. His disapproval rating also decreased by one point, from 50 percent to 49 percent, while the undecided figure remained at 21 percent.

Meanwhile, Duterte received a 54 percent approval rating, while 27 percent disapproved of her performance and 18 percent remained undecided.

Her approval was highest in Mindanao at 91 percent, followed by the Visayas at 58 percent, Metro Manila at 42 percent, and the rest of Luzon at 37 percent.

Across socioeconomic groups, 68 percent of Class E respondents approved of her performance, alongside 53 percent of Class D and 50 percent of Class ABC.

Her disapproval rating was lowest in Mindanao at 3 percent, compared with 20 percent in the Visayas, 27 percent in Metro Manila, and 28 percent in the rest of Luzon.

Duterte’s approval rating fell by two percentage points, from 56 percent to 54 percent. Her disapproval rating declined from 29 percent to 27 percent.

Pulse Asia noted that the officials’ overall national performance and trustworthiness ratings were virtually unchanged during the July to September period.