MANILA (balita.news) — Public trust in the Philippine Senate has declined by eight percentage points, slipping from 57% in November 2024 to 49% in July, according to the latest Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research.
The nationwide survey, conducted July 12–17 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults, also found that 10% of Filipinos expressed distrust in the Senate, while 41% were undecided. The poll has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
Trust in the Senate fell across all major regions, with the sharpest drops seen in Mindanao (down 13 points), the Visayas (down 11), and Balance Luzon (down 6). Despite the decline, the Senate still enjoyed majority trust in most areas except Balance Luzon, where only 42% said they trusted the institution.
Regional highs included trust ratings of 93% in both the Negros Island Region and Zamboanga Peninsula, followed by CARAGA (89%) and Eastern Visayas (81%). Meanwhile, the highest level of distrust was recorded in MIMAROPA at 41%. In Cagayan Valley, 91% of respondents remained undecided.
Ambivalence about the Senate’s credibility was also widespread, exceeding 50% in the Bicol Region (74%), Northern Mindanao (72%), Central Luzon (68%), Central Visayas (67%), and Davao Region (53%).
By socio-economic class, sentiment toward the Senate varied. Trust rose significantly among Class ABC (up 16 points) and Class E (up 9 points), but fell by 9 points among Class D—the largest demographic segment. Still, Class E showed the highest trust level at 66%, while Class ABC posted the lowest at 33%. Notably, a majority of Class ABC respondents (52%) were undecided.
Distrust remained relatively stable across socio-economic classes, ranging from 9% to 11%, while ambivalence stayed high, with at least 20% undecided in each group.
The results point to increasing public uncertainty surrounding the Senate, as trust ratings soften across regions and demographics amid rising political ambivalence.