Pulse Asia: Approval ratings of Marcos, Duterte 'essentially unchanged' in December

MANILA, Philippines — The approval and trust ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte remained mostly unchanged despite a majority of Filipinos disapproving of the way the government controls the rising prices of goods, according to a new poll. 

The December 3-7 survey conducted by Pulse Asia found that 68% of Filipino adults approve of Marcos’ performance, three points higher than the 65% recorded in September. The poll had an error margin of ± 2.8% for national findings. 

Nine percent disapproved of the chief executive’s performance, while 22% were undecided.

Duterte’s performance rating, meanwhile, rose by a percentage point to 74 in December. Eight percent said they were dissatisfied with the vice president’s work, while 18% were undecided. 

Marcos and Duterte retained majority ratings even as 73% of Filipinos said they disapprove of the current administration’s response to inflation. Reining in the rising costs of essential goods and commodities remains the most urgent national concern. 

“The overall performance scores of the country’s leading government officials remain essentially unchanged between September 2023 and December 2023 although there are several marked movements across geographic and socio-economic subgroupings,” Pulse Asia said in a poll released Monday.

According to the polling firm, Marcos’ approval rating in Class E rose by 15 points to 68% in December. It added that approval for his work became “more notable” in Visayas — from 4% in September to 16% in December. 

“The only marked movement in vice-presidential performance ratings is the 12-percentage point drop in her approval score in the Visayas,” Pulse Asia said.

The survey also showed that Marcos and Duterte continued to enjoy majority trust ratings at 73% and 78%, respectively. 

The increased tension in the West Philippine Sea, bombing during a Mass at Mindanao State University in Marawi City, and a nationwide transport strike were among the key issues in the run-up to or during the conduct of the survey.

The same Pulse Asia survey found that essentially half of Filipino adults approved of the work done by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri in the