Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech during a mid-term election rally for his political alliance, in Cavite Province, Philippines, on March 21, 2025. (Photo: CFP)

Filipinos' satisfaction and trust in President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.'s administration have plummeted, casting doubt on the election prospects for Marcos' camp in the upcoming midterm elections.

Pulse Asia Research, Inc., a public opinion polling body in the Philippines, released its latest poll conducted at the end of March on April 16.

Among 2,400 respondents nationwide, only 25% expressed satisfaction with Marcos' performance, a sharp decline from 42% in February.

In contrast, 53% of respondents reported dissatisfaction with his performance, while another 22% stated they could not evaluate it.

Since coming to power in June 2022 for a six-year term, Marcos has completed nearly half of his tenure. Controlling inflation has been a top government priority; however, polls indicate that 79% of respondents are dissatisfied with the effectiveness of his administration in managing inflation.

Asia Pulse noted that Marcos's satisfaction and trust ratings are the lowest among all Philippine presidents at the midpoint of their terms. In comparison, former President Rodrigo Duterte enjoyed satisfaction and trust ratings as high as 85% when he was halfway through his term in June 2019.

Duterte's daughter, current Vice President Sara Duterte, has garnered support from more than half the public. Her approval rating increased from 52% in February to 59% in March, while her trust rating rose from 53% to 61%.

The Marcos and Duterte clans briefly allied during the 2022 election but have since drifted apart. Last month, Duterte was arrested and transferred to the International Criminal Court for trial, further straining the relationship between the two clans.

In a surprising turn, Marcos's elder sister, Senator Imee Marcos, has publicly supported the Duterte clan and joined Sara Duterte's camp for the upcoming mid-term elections.

Imee and Sara recently stated that the current situation in the Philippines is dire, with widespread hunger and crime. Presidential press officer Claire Castro refuted these claims on April 15, asserting that any darkness stems from the Duterte administration.

She cited the extrajudicial killings associated with Duterte's aggressive anti-drug campaign and urged the public not to believe in misinformation regarding poverty.

Reporter: Zhang Ruijun

Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He