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Marc Jayson Cayabyab - The Philippine Star
August 7, 2025 | 12:00am
Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on February 19, 2025.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III has expressed alarm at the Senate’s declining trust and performance ratings based on the latest OCTA Research Group survey, saying this was the first time that the House surpassed the Senate in the poll.
“The rating of the Senate has never been this low, much less even lower than the House. Never!” Sotto said.
The July 12-17 survey showed the Senate’s trust rating dropped to 49 from 57 percent in the November 2024 survey.
Ten percent of respondents said they distrusted the upper chamber, while 41 percent were undecided.
The Senate’s performance rating also declined to 47 percent from 53 percent.
Some 11 percent said they were dissatisfied with the Senate, while 42 percent were undecided.
In contrast, the trust rating of the House of Representatives improved from 49 to 57 percent.
Eight percent distrusted the lower chamber, while 33 percent were undecided.
Their performance ratings also improved to 55 from 47 percent in November 2024.
Nine percent were dissatisfied, while 36 percent were undecided.
Sotto said the Senate can restore the people’s trust and satisfaction by not mangling the national budget in the deliberations on the 2026 General Appropriations Bill.
Strong leadership
Lawmakers belonging to the House majority bloc said the OCTA poll results are proof of Speaker Martin Romualdez’s effective leadership.
Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Parañaque Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre all credited the rise in public confidence to the House leadership.
“You don’t get an eight?point jump in trust by chance. That happens when you have a Speaker who knows where the country should go and gets the job done,” Garin said.
