PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s public satisfaction rating fell in September as more Filipinos expressed dissatisfaction with his performance, reversing some of the gains recorded three months earlier, according to Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The President’s net satisfaction rating dropped four points to -11 from -7 in June, returning to the “poor” category after briefly improving to “neutral,” SWS said in a statement on Thursday.
The Sept. 21-27 survey found that 35% of adult Filipinos were satisfied with Mr. Marcos’ performance, down from 38% in June, while 46% were dissatisfied, compared with 45% previously. Undecided respondents rose to 20% from 17%.
Net satisfaction is calculated by subtracting the percentage of dissatisfied respondents from those who are satisfied.
The latest rating remained above Mr. Marcos’ record low of -15 in March, when 49% expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.
Public satisfaction weakened across most major regions, with the steepest decline recorded in Luzon outside Metro Manila.
Mr. Marcos’ net satisfaction rating in the rest of Luzon fell 11 points to zero, while the Visayas posted a 10-point decline to -13. Metro Manila’s rating slipped three points to -27.
Mindanao was the only major region where the President’s rating improved, rising 14 points to -21.
The rating among urban residents dropped eight points to -20, while rural respondents gave Mr. Marcos a net satisfaction score of +1, up three points.
Filipinos aged 35 to 44 registered the sharpest decline among age groups, with their rating falling 16 points to -19. College graduates also reported weaker satisfaction, with their rating dropping 15 points to -34.
The survey separately found that fewer Filipinos believed Mr. Marcos’ description of the country’s condition in his July 27 State of the Nation Address.
Among respondents familiar with the speech, 26% considered his description believable, while 37% found it unbelievable. Another 37% said the believable and unbelievable portions were equal.
The resulting net believability score fell eight points to -11 from -3 in September 2025.
Social media was the leading source of information about the speech, with 27% of respondents saying they watched it on digital platforms.
SWS interviewed 1,500 adults nationwide through face-to-face interviews. The survey had a national margin of error of ±3 percentage points. The polling organization said it conducted the survey on its own initiative. — NPA