DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 27 March) — In Mindanao, public opinion remains sharply divided between the country’s top leaders, with most respondents expressing distrust in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and overwhelming trust in Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a Pulse Asia survey that also sheds light on how these views are formed.
Pulse Asia released on Wednesday the reasons cited by respondents for trusting or distrusting the country’s two highest elected officials. In its survey conducted from February 27 to March 2, 2026, Pulse Asia data showed a stark regional divide in overall trust ratings.
Nationwide, 35% trust Marcos while 54% trust Duterte. In Mindanao, 77% of respondents said they distrust Marcos, while only 10% said they trust him and 13% were undecided. On the other hand, 97% of respondents in the region said they trust Duterte, with just 1% expressing distrust and 2% remaining undecided.
Among the Mindanawons who expressed trust in Marcos, the most frequently cited reasons were improvements in quality of life (25.7%), as well as assistance to disaster-affected communities (18.3%). These responses gesture towards a perception of governance grounded in everyday life: relief, livelihood, direct support.
At the national level, however, the leading reason behind trust in the President was his perceived fight against corruption (28.6%) — suggesting that trust is won over through adherence to policy and principles nationally, but through lived impact in Mindanao.
Despite this, however, economic concerns remain a key source of uncertainty. Among those undecided towards Marcos’ trustworthiness, the most commonly cited reason was his inability to control the rising cost of basic goods — 39.3% nationwide, and 35.7% in Mindanao.
Even among those who distrust him, reasons are varied — ranging from failure to fight corruption (16.7% nationwide, but only 6.2% in Mindanao), to unmet promises (15.3% nationwide, 20.8% in Mindanao), to perceived inaction (13.8% nationwide, 21.4% in Mindanao). This suggests no single dominant narrative shaping negative sentiment nationally, though inaction or perceived failure to perform duties appear more pronounced in Mindanao.
In contrast, views on Vice President Duterte show a more concentrated pattern, especially in terms of distrust.
Among those who trust Duterte nationwide (54%), reasons are more dispersed — including her perceived leadership capability (12.8%), pro-poor stance (12.7%), courage (12.4%), and approachability or helpfulness (9.1%). In Mindanao, reasons similarly vary, including courage and helpfulness (13.9% each), perceptions of capability (12.7%), strong principles (10.1%), and associations with her political lineage (7.5%), and pro-poor positioning (6.5%).
However, distrust towards Duterte (26% nationwide) is far more concentrated as 51.5% of those who expressed distrust nationwide, and 90.7% in Mindanao, pointed to her alleged involvement in corrupt activities as their primary reason. Likewise, among those undecided about her trustworthiness, 51% nationwide and 47.9% in Mindanao attributed their uncertainty to unresolved issues surrounding the use of confidential funds, Office of the Vice President funds, or Department of Education funds.
Duterte served as Education Secretary from June 30, 2022 but resigned two years later.
The Pulse Asia findings suggest two distinct patterns in how leadership is evaluated. Trust in Marcos appears to be shaped largely by material conditions and the perceived delivery of services, particularly in Mindanao. By contrast, perceptions of Duterte are more strongly influenced by questions of accountability, with corruption-related concerns dominating both distrust and indecision. (Bea Gatmaytan / MindaNews)
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