MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains undeterred by survey ratings and is prepared to absorb the political consequences of his administration’s intensified crackdown on corruption, particularly in anomalous flood control projects.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro made the statement after a Pulse Asia Research survey showed that public sentiment toward the President remained largely negative in December 2025, while Vice President Sara Duterte continued to post majority approval and trust ratings.
Castro said survey results serve only as a guide for governance and will not affect the President’s resolve to pursue accountability.
“The ratings serve as a guide for the administration, but whatever the results—high or low—will not affect the President and his continued work, especially in eradicating corruption,” Castro said in Tagalog.
She said the administration understands that decisive action against corruption may carry political costs.
“If the reason for the decline of the President’s rating is his move to investigate those involved in anomalous flood control projects, the President will not mind the drop because it is the right decision even if it is not a popular one,” she added.
Castro said the President was fully aware that the probe could affect his administration politically but chose to proceed in the interest of the public.
“The President knew his administration would be affected, but he pushed through with the investigation for the country and the people,” she said.
Castro also drew a contrast with the previous administration, noting that high approval ratings did not necessarily translate into accountability.
“The previous administration had high ratings for six years, but were kickbacks returned or cases filed despite the many ghost projects?,” Castro asked.
Pulse Asia said its Dec. 12–15 survey, conducted among 1,200 respondents nationwide, showed 48 percent disapproval and 47 percent distrust ratings for Marcos, figures that remained largely unchanged from September 2025. / PNA