Marcos approval ratings up, but Filipinos split on 2025 SONA — WR Numero survey

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

QUEZON CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval ratings have improved in August 2025, but Filipinos remain divided on his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to the latest Philippine Public Opinion Monitor (PPOM) survey by Pasig City-based research firm WR Numero.

The nationwide poll, conducted from July 29 to Aug. 6 among 1,418 Filipino adults through face-to-face, computer-assisted interviews, showed 35.4% satisfied with Marcos’ performance, up from 29% in April.

Of this figure, 30.5% rated him “Mahusay” (good), while 4.9% gave the highest rating of “Lubos na Mahusay” (extremely good). His highest “Mahusay” rating was recorded in Luzon (38.8%), followed by Metro Manila and the Visayas (24.1% each), with Mindanao the lowest at 16.8%.

Older respondents were more approving, with 43% of those aged 60 and above giving him a “Mahusay” rating, compared to 31.8% among those aged 31 to 59 and 24.1% among Filipinos aged 30 and below.

WR Numero President and CEO Cleve Arguelles pointed to the administration’s Benteng Bigas Meron (PHP 20/kilo rice) program — highlighted in Marcos’ SONA — as a likely factor behind the improvement, especially in the Visayas where the program was piloted in Cebu and other urban areas.

“If you look at where he actually improves in terms of his performance assessment, it’s mostly concentrated in the Visayas,” Arguelles said. “The PHP 20 rice initiative may have contributed to this positive shift.”

Marcos’ dissatisfaction rating dropped to 31.8% from 42% in April. This includes 18.8% who rated him “Hindi Mahusay” (not good) and 13% who rated him “Lubos na Hindi Mahusay” (extremely not good).

Vice President Sara Duterte maintained a higher satisfaction rating at 47%, though slightly down from 50% in April. Her dissatisfaction rating stayed at 21%.

Mixed public reaction to 2025 SONA

The survey also found that 51.5% of Filipinos did not watch, hear, or learn about the contents of Marcos’ SONA on July 28.

Among those who did, 23.7% agreed with the speech (20.8% agree, 2.9% strongly agree), while 24.7% disagreed (17.5% disagree, 7.2% strongly disagree).

Filipinos were nearly split on whether the country is headed in the right direction based on the SONA, with 49.6% agreeing and 50.4% disagreeing.