Declining Trust, Approval Ratings for President Marcos Jr., Speaker Romualdez Linked to Charter Change Push
MANILA, Philippines — Opposition leaders have attributed the declining trust and approval ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Speaker Martin Romualdez to their continued push for Charter change (Cha-cha), which three out of four Filipinos still reject.
According to the results of a Pulse Asia survey released recently, Marcos’ trust rating decreased by 16 points — from 73 percent in December 2023 to 57 percent in March 2024. His approval rating also dropped by 13 percentage points from 68 percent to 55 percent in the same period.
The survey also revealed that Romualdez, a cousin of the President, saw his trust rating drop from 40 percent to 31 percent, and his approval rating decreased from 39 percent to 31 percent after a three-month interval.
The survey was conducted from March 6 to March 10, during House deliberations on a resolution advocating for amendments in key economic provisions of the Constitution to lift limits on foreign ownership in public utilities, education, and advertising sectors.
In response to the survey results, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and Bayan secretary general Mong Palatino urged the President and the Speaker to take these numbers as a sign that their drive to amend the 1987 Constitution lacks public support.
Castro emphasized that an overwhelming majority of Filipinos oppose Cha-cha in any form, citing a separate Pulse Asia survey that showed 88 percent of Filipinos do not support Charter change.
Palatino criticized Marcos for promoting the interests of foreign powers instead of focusing on improving conditions for the working classes, pointing out his endorsement of economic Charter change that would allow foreigners to expand their control and ownership of land and domestic industries.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte also experienced a seven-point decrease in her approval rating and trust rating. Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri’s ratings saw improvement, with a three-point gain in approval rating and a two-point increase in trust rating.
Castro suggested that Zubiri’s ratings improved because he was not rushing Charter change.
However, Castro warned that Zubiri’s ratings may decline if the Senate approves Cha-cha.
