Corruption allegations, inflation cited as key drivers of public distrust for Marcos and Duterte—survey
High prices and corruption claims are eroding public faith in the country's top leaders, according to the latest Pulse Asia Research, Inc. Ulat ng Bayan Survey.
Conducted in the first quarter of 2026, the survey found 44% of Filipinos distrust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 35% trust him, and 21% are undecided about the president's trustworthiness.
On the other hand, it also showed 26% of Filipinos distrust Vice President Sara Duterte, 54% trust her, and 20% are on the fence.
According to Pulse Asia, the survey was conducted nationwide between Feb. 27 and March 2 through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 years old and above. Pulse Asia Research Inc. president Ronald D. Holmes assured in the company's statement that the survey had a 2.8% margin of error, with a 95% confidence level.
The infographic below gives a quick look at the public sentiment toward the country's top two leaders.
Of those who trust the president, 28.6% of them do so because, in their eyes, Marcos is fighting corruption in government. Other reasons for the survey respondents' trust in the president are that he extends help to calamity victims, he initiates programs to improve Filipinos' lives, he supports farmers, and improves public infrastructure.
On the other end of the spectrum, of the 44% who distrust the president, 16.7% believe he is doing nothing to curb corruption, including having more people arrested for the crime. Respondents cited other reasons for not trusting Marcos, including unfulfilled promises, inability to perform his duties, incompetence in suppressing inflation, and being involved in corruption allegations.
Standing undecided were 21% of the respondents; 39.3% of the unsure explained that prices of commodities are still high. Others said they remain undecided for several reasons: those accused in the flood control scandal are still running free, the president hasn't fulfilled some of his promises, his actions to fix the country's problems are not enough, and he allegedly uses illegal drugs.
Among the 1,200 respondents of the survey, 12.8% said they trust Duterte because they believe in her capability to lead. Others explained their trust in her by citing her pro-poor stance, aggressiveness, approachability when people need help, and her having conviction.
On the other hand, 51.5% of those who distrust Duterte said it is because they believe she is involved in corruption. Other respondents said the vice president tends to threaten those in the administration who go against her. They also cited her tendency to throw around obscenities when she is displeased. Some said Duterte hasn't fulfilled her duties as vice president, and frequently travels abroad.
Those undecided (20%) are waiting for Duterte to respond to the corruption allegations against her, including her use of confidential funds. Others are unaware of the vice president's accomplishments in office. They are also undecided because, according to the respondents, Duterte refuses to address her charges of impeachment.
