Legislature hit hardest as trust in government declines

Public confidence in several key government institutions continues to erode, with the sharpest declines recorded in the Senate and the House of Representatives, based on the findings of the Pahayag 2025 End-of-the-Year Survey.

While the survey notes that overall approval ratings across most government agencies remain technically “stable,” the data reveal a clear and sustained drop in public trust, particularly toward agencies associated with flooding, soaring consumer prices, transportation failures, corruption, and economic management.

Approval for the Senate fell from 28% to 24%, while the House of Representatives slipped from 21% to 20%, underscoring growing public dissatisfaction with the country’s legislative bodies.

Trust ratings also declined across several executive agencies, including the Department of Health (49% to 44%), the Department of Trade and Industry (42% to 34%), the Department of Transportation (42% to 37%), the Department of Agrarian Reform (38% to 35%), and the Department of Finance and DEVDEP—formerly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)—which dropped from 35% to 31%.

Notably, despite being embroiled in a flood-control controversy, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) emerged as the lone agency to post gains in public perception. Its approval rating climbed from 12% to 16%, while its trust rating edged up from 8% to 10%, defying the broader downward trend in confidence across government.