More Filipinos support Marcos over Duterte, sizable undecided - survey

Metro Manila, Philippines - The political divide has more Filipinos supporting the Marcos administration over the Dutertes, while a significant number had no preference, a non-commissioned survey showed.

In a survey released by OCTA Research on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 36% of respondents said they support the Marcos administration, while only half or 18% identified themselves as pro-Duterte.

OCTA said the results were close to the survey in August 2024.

The administration was most popular among class A, B, and C, while Dutertes were the preferred political family among class E.

“Across major regions, pro-Marcos supporters make up around four out of every ten adult Filipinos in NCR and Visayas. A significant portion of overall support comes from Balance Luzon,” the think tank said.

“Support for the Duterte family and its allies remains strongest in Mindanao, where 63% of the population identifies as pro-Duterte,” OCTA added.

Meanwhile, 26% classified themselves as independent.

“It is important to note that some adult Filipinos remain ambivalent or uncertain about their political preferences due to indecision or unwillingness to disclose their stance,” OCTA said.

Eight percent of survey respondents favored the opposition, which OCTA identified as former Vice President Leni Robredo, the Liberal Party, and those with similar affiliations.

Another 8% were uncertain of political leanings.

The OCTA survey was conducted on Jan. 25 to 31, less than two weeks before the campaign for the May 12 elections. It has a ±3% margin of error.