Numbers don't lie - but it's how these numbers are presented that can be manipulated.
The increasing dissatisfaction among Lagunenses with the economic situation under the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. belies the recent hype on the statistics claiming a high trust and approval rating of the President.
At first glance
At first glance, the results of the recent surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) indicate an even higher trust in the Marcos administration among the populace.
Results of the "Awareness and Trust Ratings of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., July 2024-June 2025) released on July 15 showed the President's trust and approval ratings actually rose by 10 percent during the past month, from 38 percent in May to 48 percent in June.
That was the part of the SWS survey that government officials immediately gloated on.
“Despite the unrelenting attacks from obstructionists who do nothing but discredit the President and the administration, people are seeing the results… The respondents recognize the accomplishments and continued service of the President,” former Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro was quoted as saying.
A closer look
Yet a deeper look into the statistics actually tells a very different picture.
Year-on-year, based on data provided by SWS, President Marcos’ trust and approval rating actually declined.
In fact, notwithstanding the ten-percent jump on his ratings from May to June 2025, the data shows a 12-percent net drop in his approval rating from the 64 percent reported in July 2024.
A month-by-month analysis also showed the President's trust and approval rating gradually going down to its lowest at 36 percent by April 2025, one month before the May 12 midterm elections.
This decreasing trust, no doubt, influenced voters' decisions in the midterm elections which saw the defeat of several key members of the administration's "Bagong Alyansa" senatorial slate.
And while those who answered that they have "little trust" in the Marcos administration went down from 39 percent in May 2025 to 30 percent in June 2025, year-on-year, the President's dissatisfaction rating actually went up from the 21 percent reported in July 2024, reaching its peak at 40 percent by March 2025.
Some Lagunenses also noted that surveys can also be manipulated, depending on who commissions them.
"The SWS survey was commissioned by Stratford, an ally of Bongbong Marcos. Kaya hindi credible ang resulta. Ipinakita nila na 48% ang trust rating. 30% naman ang hindi naniniwala sa kanya. Ang total net trust rating niya lang is 18%. Looking at the comments here, mas malamang na hindi talaga credible ang resulta ng survey," netizen Rene Francis Angeles commented on OpinYon Laguna's Facebook page.
What happened to P20-per-kilo rice?
But setting aside the credibility of surveys, informal interviews conducted by OpinYon Laguna’s reporters revealed that many Lagunenses are still waiting on the fulfilment of one of President Marcos’ much-vaunted campaign promises: that the price of rice will finally go down to as low as P20 per kilo.
This, despite the fact Laguna province was one of the beneficiaries of the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), where members of certain marginalized sectors can buy P20-per-kilo rice.
In fact, high prices of basic goods and commodities remain a key issue among Lagunenses, even as inflation rates in the province went down to 2.2 percent last May compared to 2.4 percent during the previous month.
“Hindi natupad ni Pangulong Marcos ang mga promises sa kanyang kampanya…sa katunayan nga po ay lalong tumaas ang presyo [ng mga bilihin],” “Patricia,” a 22-year-old from Pagsanjan, said in reply to OpinYon Laguna’s survey.
“Sa mahal ng mga bilihin at pamasahe ngayon, imbes na makatipid ka e lalo po kaming gumagastos,” was how “Lhiza” from San Pedro City put her frustration.
Growing disillusionment
The results of the informal surveys conducted by OpinYon Lagunas also show a growing skepticism and disillusionment among Lagunenses on whether the Marcos administration can still follow through on its pledges for the remaining three years of his term.
“Noon ngang sinabi niyang ibababa niya ang presyo ng mga bilihin, hindi pa niya nagagawa. Paano pa kaya yung iba pang mga pangako niya?” “Mariecon,” a 20-year-old from San Pedro City, Laguna, said.
“Mavie,” a 22-year-old from Bay, also has this to say: “Kung dedicated po talaga siya sa mga plataporma niya noong kampanya, sana noong unang tatlong taon pa lang ay nasimulan na niya.”
(With reports by Cheryl Soriano, David Nuñez, and Gladys Amil)
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