Marcos satisfaction rating drops to 21%; Duterte holds at 43%

MANILA — Public satisfaction with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has plummeted to 21 percent, the lowest since he assumed office, while Vice President Sara Duterte maintains a stronger standing with a 43 percent approval rating, according to the latest national survey conducted by non-partisan polling firm WR Numero.

The November 2025 Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, based on face-to-face interviews with 1,412 Filipino adults from Nov. 21 to 28, revealed a steep 14-point decline in satisfaction for Marcos since the last survey in August 2025. It is the president’s sharpest drop in approval since February and marks his lowest rating since the opinion tracker began in December 2023.

At the same time, 47 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with Marcos’ performance — a 15-point increase — also his highest disapproval rating on record. The remaining 32 percent said they were unsure.

Dissatisfaction with the president is most prominent among younger Filipinos. Among those aged 30 and below, 64 percent said they were dissatisfied. In contrast, satisfaction was highest among seniors aged 60 and older at 41 percent, while the 31–59 age group was more divided.

Across economic classes, dissatisfaction runs highest among Class D respondents at 60 percent, followed by Class ABC (50 percent) and Class E (43 percent). Only 26 percent of the upper classes expressed satisfaction.

By region, Mindanao posted the highest dissatisfaction at 66 percent, trailed by the Visayas at 48 percent, Metro Manila at 42 percent, and the Rest of Luzon at 39 percent. Satisfaction, meanwhile, was strongest in the Rest of Luzon (28 percent) and Metro Manila (27 percent). Visayans had the highest share of undecided respondents at 39 percent.

Factional support continues to shape public perception. Among Filipinos who identify with the Duterte family or their allies, 72 percent expressed dissatisfaction with Marcos. In contrast, 66 percent of Marcos family loyalists said they remained satisfied with his performance. The opposition was split: 45 percent dissatisfied, 41 percent unsure. A majority of independents (45 percent) were uncertain.

Duterte retains lead, but support softens slightly

Vice President Sara Duterte remains ahead in public approval, though her ratings also dipped slightly. Her satisfaction score declined by four percentage points to 43 percent, while dissatisfaction ticked up to 23 percent from 21 percent in August. A significant 34 percent of Filipinos said they were unsure about her performance.

Younger Filipinos expressed stronger support for Duterte: 47 percent of those aged 30 and below and 44 percent of the 31–59 age group said they were satisfied. Among seniors, however, dissatisfaction (32 percent) and uncertainty (42 percent) were highest.

Satisfaction was highest among Class E respondents (45 percent), followed by Class D (43 percent) and Class ABC (32 percent). Upper-class respondents showed the most uncertainty, with 40 percent undecided. Dissatisfaction was most pronounced in Class D (33 percent), followed by ABC (29 percent) and E (20 percent).

Mindanao residents showed the strongest support for Duterte, with 75 percent expressing satisfaction. This was followed by Visayas (49 percent), while satisfaction was lower in Metro Manila and the Rest of Luzon at 30 percent each. The highest dissatisfaction came from the Rest of Luzon (30 percent) and Metro Manila (28 percent), with both areas also showing high uncertainty — 45 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Supporters of the Duterte family expressed overwhelming approval of the vice president’s performance at 79 percent. However, 52 percent of Marcos loyalists and 43 percent of opposition backers said they were dissatisfied. Among independents, more than half were unsure.

The survey’s national margin of error is ±3 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. Subnational margins of error are ±7 percent for Metro Manila, ±4 percent for the Rest of Luzon, ±6 percent for Visayas, and ±5 percent for Mindanao.

The November 2025 survey also covered public sentiment on key national issues, including corruption allegations involving flood response projects and the ongoing investigations by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure. The full report will include additional insights into perceptions of the Senate, Congress, judiciary, and public policy priorities.