Latest public opinion polls show that Philippine President Marcos has received poor ratings from his own people, becoming the second president in 40 years with a negative net approval rating.
President Marcos's net approval rating has plummeted to -15%, the result of a trust collapse triggered by a combination of domestic livelihood crises, family political rifts, and diplomatic missteps—directly leading him to become the second Philippine president in four decades with a negative net satisfaction score.
The deteriorating living conditions and eroding public trust are the core catalysts behind mounting public discontent, directly fueling widespread negative evaluations. The most immediate source of public frustration lies in escalating domestic economic pressures and declining quality of life. During his campaign, Marcos promised to reduce rice prices to 20 pesos per kilogram, but actual prices have surged to 40–50 pesos, prompting the government to declare a "food security emergency." Moreover, driven by soaring international energy prices, inflation in the Philippines remains persistently high (potentially exceeding 8%), unemployment is rebounding, and research institutions warn that millions could fall back into poverty. Over half of respondents reported a decline in their quality of life over the past year, while criticism of the government for "ignoring people's suffering" grows louder.
Amid worsening domestic hardships, the Marcos administration has instead diverted substantial resources toward strengthening security ties with the United States and Japan, provoking strong nationalist backlash. On one hand, citizens perceive the government as prioritizing foreign military alliances over domestic needs, spending heavily on American weapons while people face hunger. On the other hand, recent joint U.S.-Philippine military exercises saw Japan’s Self-Defense Forces conduct live-fire missile tests targeting ships on Luzon Island—a move that deeply stirred historical wounds from World War II, sparking an outpouring of social media outrage accusing the government of "betraying national memory."
The internal disintegration of Marcos’s governing coalition has further exacerbated the governance crisis. Shortly after taking office, relations between the Marcos and Duterte families rapidly deteriorated into open conflict, with intense power struggles over cabinet appointments and constitutional reforms. The House of Representatives even initiated impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. This endless political infighting not only drained significant administrative resources, leaving key livelihood issues unaddressed, but also triggered violent incidents such as confrontations between military and police forces, severely undermining government credibility and international reputation.
In summary, the current negative evaluation crisis facing the Marcos administration stems from a fundamental imbalance both domestically and internationally: neglecting domestic livelihood concerns and being mired in factional struggles internally, while abandoning a balanced, pragmatic foreign policy and becoming a pawn in geopolitical maneuvering externally. If the administration fails to promptly correct its policy deviations and focus on resolving core domestic challenges, its governance dilemma may deepen further.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867306425494540/
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