MANILA (July 17) — Public confidence in the Senate has plunged to its lowest among major government institutions, according to the latest Pahayag Second Quarter 2026 Survey by PUBLiCUS Asia, with the chamber posting the country’s weakest approval and trust ratings.
Released Wednesday, the survey found that only 21 percent of respondents approved of the Senate’s performance, while just 12 percent said they trusted the institution—the lowest figures recorded among the government agencies and institutions included in the poll.
Trailing the Senate were the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which registered 22 percent approval and 14 percent trust, followed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) with 25 percent approval and 15 percent trust. The House of Representatives posted slightly higher marks at 26 percent approval and 15 percent trust.
At the opposite end of the rankings, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) remained the country’s most highly regarded government agency, earning 63 percent approval and 45 percent trust.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) ranked second with 53 percent approval and 37 percent trust, while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) received 48 percent approval and 35 percent trust. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) also maintained relatively strong public confidence with a 35 percent trust rating.
Gatchalian Leads Government Leaders
Among key government officials measured in the survey, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian emerged with the highest ratings, posting 32 percent approval and 21 percent trust.
House Speaker Faustino Dy III continued to receive among the lowest public assessments, although his ratings showed slight gains. His approval increased from 11 percent to 13 percent, while his trust rating improved from 6 percent to 8 percent.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also saw a marginal rise in approval—from 16 percent to 17 percent—while his trust rating remained steady at 10 percent.
Opposition Senators Lead Favorability
The survey also showed opposition senators dominating public favorability.
Sen. Bam Aquino topped the rankings with a 57-percent net favorable rating, including 29 percent of respondents who described him as “very favorable.”
He was followed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who recorded a 47-percent net favorable rating, and Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who posted 46 percent. Both also garnered strong “very favorable” ratings of 21 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada emerged as the survey’s most unpopular public figure, registering a 58-percent net unfavorable rating, including 39 percent who viewed him as “very unfavorable.”
He was followed closely by Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who posted a 56-percent net unfavorable rating, with 44 percent of respondents describing him as “very unfavorable.”
The Pahayag Second Quarter 2026 Survey was conducted from June 28 to 30 among 1,509 registered Filipino voters selected through purposive sampling from the PureSpectrum online research panel. The survey has a ±3 percentage-point margin of error.
The findings come amid heightened public scrutiny of national institutions following months of intense political confrontations, including the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte and continuing debates over governance, accountability, and public trust.
