Shock drop in Pulse Asia ratings: Marcos, Escudero, Romualdez plunge while Sara Duterte rises

In recent Pulse Asia ratings, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senate President Francis Escudero, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez all experienced a substantial drop in their performance and trust ratings. It was conducted in March 23-29 2025 by Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan survey polling 2,400 Filipino respondents nationwide. The results unexpectedly indirectly siding with Vice President Sara Duterte, who received a significant boost, emerging as the sole high-ranking official registering improvement in public backing.

Decline in Marcos’ Pulse Asia ratings

The disapproval rating of President Marcos rose 21 points to 53%, as his approval rating plunged 17 percentage points from 42% in February to 25% in March, Wednesday said. It is the lowest approval rating of his presidency to date and indicates growing public discontent halfway through his presidency.

Escudero and Romualdez also see slumps on their Pulse Asia ratings

• Senate President Escudero went down from 47% to 38% , it was down by 9 points.
• House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of the president, saw his approval rating drop from 41% to 33%.

Analysts say these declines could be linked to rising public frustrations over economic concerns, governance issues, and political controversies.

Sara Duterte Pulse Asia ratings rise

Contrary to the downward trend, Vice President Sara Duterte emerged with more substantial numbers. Her approval rating rose seven percentage points, climbing from 52% to 59%, while her trust rating also saw modest gains of 61%.

Her performance boost comes amid increasing political distance from the Marcos administration. Duterte resigned from her cabinet post in 2024 and has since taken a more independent stance. Political observers suggest her rising popularity positions her favorably for future national leadership roles.

The rating changes come as tensions between the Marcos and Duterte factions are increasingly on display, particularly with the Duterte family making a strong comeback in the run-up to the 2025 midterm elections. Former president Rodrigo Duterte and his sons revealed their Senate plans, hinting at a possible political clash with the Marcos camp.

These dynamics of approval and trust by Pulse Asia ratings in the government could change as the country heads into the elections, reshaping alliances, drawing campaign strategies, and reflecting the changing of the guard for leadership influence and direction.

Image Cover: RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc.

Image Body: Pulse Asia