Senate, House approval ratings drop in September 2025 —Pulse Asia survey

The approval ratings of the Senate and the House of Representatives declined by double figures in September 2025, about the same time the investigations into the flood control anomalies, which linked several lawmakers, were happening, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

According to the survey, the Senate's overall approval went down to 42% in September compared to the 53% approval it got in June 2025. 

The House of Representatives' September rating of 30% was also down from its 47% approval rating in June 2025.

As to the disapproval rating, the Senate received 28% in September, as against the 18% in June, while the House got 34% disapproval rating, higher than its June rating of 21%.

Pulse Asia conducted the survey fieldwork from September 27 to 30, 2025 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 representative adults, 18 years old and above.

The survey has a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95% confidence level: ± 5.7% for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Among the key developments happening during the conduct of the survey in September 2025 were:

• The investigation of the Senate and the House into budget insertions in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and ghost infrastructure projects across the country, particularly flood control projects. Several former and incumbent lawmakers and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were among those identified as being involved in these anomalies. 
• The creation of the Independent Commission on Infrastructure through Executive Order No. 94 to investigate the misuse of funds in infrastructure projects.
• Changes in the leadership of the DPWH and both chambers of Congress. Then Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vivencio Dizon was tapped to replaced DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan amidst allegations of irregularities in the agency’s flood control projects. And in light of the reported involvement of then Senate President Francis Escudero and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez in budget insertions and related anomalies, they were replaced by Senator Vicente Sotto III and Isabela Representative Faustino Dy III, respectively. 
• The September 21 Trillion Pesos March in EDSA and the protest activities in Luneta and Mendiola linked to the corruption of flood control funds.
• Deliberations of the 2026 budget in the Senate and the House.

Approval by region

The Senate scored the highest approval rating in Visayas at 47%, followed by 44% in Mindanao, 41% in Luzon and 37% in Metro Manila.

The House also scored the highest approval rating in Visayas at 35%, followed by 34% in Luzon and 32% in Metro Manila. The House scored a measly 18% approval score in Mindanao.

The House also posted the highest disapproval rating in Mindanao at 56%, followed by 33% in Metro Manila, 30% in Visayas and 24% in Luzon.

The Senate, on the other hand, also recorded its highest disapproval rating in Mindanao at 41%, followed by 31% in the Visayas, 27% in Metro Manila and 21% in Luzon.

Surveys as guide

In response, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said surveys will always serve as guides to perceptions in that particular moment and is not a reason to be discouraged.

“In other words, a snapshot of the past. The Senate will do its work diligently no matter what,”  Sotto said.

House leaders, for their part, said that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive to livestream the bicameral conference on 2026 national budget is consistent with the House efforts to bring transparency to the proceedings.

Civil society organizations have been invited earlier to the House budget hearings.

"These measures ensure that the allocation of public funds is subject to rigorous scrutiny, fostering trust and active engagement from citizens in shaping the nation's fiscal priorities,” said Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V, and Deputy Speaker and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun said in a statement. 

“President Marcos, Jr.’s directive is a game-changer that restores faith in our institutions. By livestreaming the bicam, we are not just discussing the budget—we are inviting every Filipino to join the conversation, ensuring that public funds are allocated with the utmost integrity and in line with our socioeconomic priorities,” Ortega added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News