President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is standing firm on his administration's aggressive anti-corruption drive, declaring that he is prepared to face the political fallout even as his approval ratings remain low. This comes in response to the latest Pulse Asia survey showing sustained public disapproval of his performance.
Survey Shows Negative Sentiment Persists
The Pulse Asia Research survey, conducted from December 12 to 15, 2025, revealed that 48 percent of Filipinos disapprove of the President's performance, while 47 percent distrust him. These figures show little change from the previous survey in September 2025. In contrast, Vice President Sara Duterte continues to enjoy majority approval and trust ratings.
Palace: Ratings Are a Guide, Not a Deterrent
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro addressed the survey results on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. She stated that while the ratings serve as a governance guide, they will not weaken the President's resolve to pursue accountability, particularly in the ongoing investigation of anomalous flood control projects.
"The ratings serve as a guide for the administration, but whatever the results—high or low—will not affect the President and his continued work, especially in eradicating corruption," Castro said in a statement.
Political Cost of Fighting Corruption
Castro emphasized that the administration is fully aware of the potential political cost of its decisive actions. She directly linked the President's declining ratings to his push for the corruption probe, asserting that he chose the right path over the popular one.
"If the reason for the decline of the President’s rating is his move to investigate those involved in anomalous flood control projects, the President will not mind the drop because it is the right decision even if it is not a popular one," she added.
Castro also drew a sharp contrast with the previous Duterte administration, questioning whether its high approval ratings over six years led to genuine accountability. "Were kickbacks returned or cases filed despite the many ghost projects?" she asked.
The President's commitment, according to Malacañang, is driven by public interest. "The President knew his administration would be affected, but he pushed through with the investigation for the country and the people," Castro concluded. The nationwide survey involved 1,200 respondents.
