Bongbong, Sara trust ratings decline in January SWS poll

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte saw a decline in their trust ratings in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in January 2025.

Sponsored by Stratbase Consultancy, the survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters nationwide from January 17 to 20.

Respondents were asked to rate their trust in various personalities on a scale from "very much" to "very little."

Marcos’ “much trust” rating fell from 54% in December 2024 to 50% in January 2025. Meanwhile, those with “little trust” in him increased slightly from 25% to 26%, while undecided respondents rose from 19% to 22%.

The President received the highest trust in Balance Luzon at 60%, despite a 6% drop. Mindanao recorded the highest “little trust” rating at 36%.

Stratbase Institute President Victor Manhit attributed the decline to public frustration over inflation.

"With the cost of essential goods continuing to rise, many Filipinos feel the administration's efforts to ease the burden have been slow and insufficient, Manhit said. 

"To restore public confidence, the Marcos administration must double down on its responses by implementing long-term solutions to stabilize inflation and support struggling Filipino households."

Meanwhile, Duterte’s trust rating dropped from 52% in December to 49% in January. Respondents with “little trust” in her increased slightly from 29% to 30%, while the undecided group grew from 17% to 20%.

The Vice President’s highest trust rating came from Mindanao at 78%, while Balance Luzon had the highest “little trust” at 41%.

Manhit linked Duterte’s decline to her refusal to address questions about her use of public funds.

The SWS confirmed that the commissioned survey was conducted using weighted area estimates based on the Commission on Elections’ 2023 Project of Precincts data.

The survey had a sampling error margin of ±2.31% for national percentages, ±5.66% for Metro Manila, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% for the Visayas and Mindanao. — DVM, GMA Integrated News