Pulse Asia: Confidence in infra probe declining

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos who believe that officials involved in anomalous flood control projects will be punished has declined, a recent Pulse Asia Survey showed. 

Results of the Dec. 12 to 15, 2025, survey released on Monday showed that majority or 59 percent of Filipinos still believed government officials involved in the flood works scandal would be punished.

That figure, however, is significantly lower by 12 percentage points, compared with the September 2025 survey which showed 71 percent were confident that guilty officials would be punished.

One positive indicator in the latest Pulse Asia poll was trust in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) increasing to 13 percent from 7 percent in September.

READ: Most Filipinos still believe flood control culprits will go to jail

The DPWH is at the center of the flood control scandal, with some of its officials dismissed and one claiming her life, according to authorities. At the height of the scandal, Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan resigned on Aug. 31 and was replaced by Vince Dizon.

Respondents in the December poll were asked, “If irregularities are found in flood control projects, what is the possibility that the involved officials will be punished?”

Most areas and all classes (57 percent to 65 percent and 58 percent to 68 percent, respectively) remained optimistic that government officials found guilty would be punished.

An exception was Metro Manila where almost the same percentages either agreed with that opinion (42 percent) or were undecided on the matter (37 percent). 

Agreement that there will be punishment for guilty officials eased between September 2025 and December 2025 not only in the national levels, which showed a decline of 12 percentage points, but also in Metro Manila which dropped by 24 percentage points, in Mindanao which went down by 13 percentage points, among Class D which declined by 12 percentage points, and among Class E which went down by 21 percentage points. 

Trust in institutions

As to which institutions are the most trusted in addressing corruption in flood control projects, the media emerged as the most trusted (54 percent from 51 percent in September), followed by civil society organizations (47 percent from 50 percent), Senate (unchanged at 37 percent), the House of Representatives (31 percent from 25 percent), and President Marcos (30 percent from 32 percent), who also had 48 percent distrust among respondents and 22 percent undecided. 

The survey was conducted among 1,200 adults using face-to-face interviews and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.8 percent. —With a report from John Eric Mendoza