Survey: Most Filipinos feel gov't is out of touch with ordinary citizens

MANILA, Philippines — As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), a new national survey reveals a deep-seated disconnect between the administration and the public, with more than half of Filipinos feeling that the government simply does not understand the daily struggles of ordinary citizens.

According to the non-commissioned EON–Tangere Pre-SONA Survey 2026, 53.8% of Filipinos believe the government fails to understand the problems ordinary people face.

The survey also revealed that 55% of respondents said the government does not listen to ordinary Filipinos, while 49.4% actively distrust the administration's ability to solve the nation's pressing issues.

Meanwhile, 40.8% do not believe the government can fulfill the commitments expected to be presented in this year's SONA.

Solutions over promises

According to the survey findings, citizens are far more interested in concrete solutions to pressing problems than in hearing about past achievements.

When asked what they most want to hear during the SONA, 48.3% prioritized solutions to current national problems, followed by 35.6% seeking anti-corruption measures and government reform and 34.7% wanting updates on previous promises.

A plan to lower prices also ranked high, with 32.8% of respondents identifying it as a priority.

By contrast, only 22.0% of respondents said they want to hear a report on the administration's accomplishments.

When asked about the priority issues they want addressed in the 2026 SONA, household economics and essential services dominated the list:

  • Economy and inflation: 67.1%
  • Jobs and wages: 56.2%
  • Education: 53.2%
  • Agriculture and food security: 47.3%
  • Health: 44.7%
  • Cost of living: 43.3%
  • Crime and public safety: 42.4%
  • Corruption: 42.2%

The survey used a mobile-based, self-administered questionnaire completed by 1,200 Filipino adults selected through quota-based stratified random sampling across NCR (12%), Northern Luzon (23%), Southern Luzon (22%), Visayas (20%) and Mindanao (23%). The nationwide results have a margin of error of ±2.96 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

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