The latest poll by the Philippine OCTA Research Group shows that for the first time, the public trust in the House of Representatives has surpassed that of the Senate, reflecting a significant reversal in the image of the two chambers of Congress in the eyes of the public. According to the national survey conducted from July 12 to 17, 57% of respondents expressed trust in the House of Representatives, while the Senate's trust rating fell to 49%.
The data indicates that the trust rating of the House of Representatives has increased by 8 percentage points since November last year, showing an upward trend; in contrast, the Senate has slid from a high of 67% in December 2023 to 49% in July 2025. Poll analysis points out that the Senate's slow handling of the online gambling controversy and the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has severely damaged its credibility.
Regionally, the Senate's trust rating has dropped the most in Mindanao, by 13 percentage points. In terms of social class, the lower-income population still has relatively high trust in the Senate (over two-thirds), while the upper-middle class has a trust rating of less than one-third.
In contrast, the House of Representatives has a trust rating of about 60% in Metro Manila, Central Visayas, and Mindanao, with satisfaction also rising to 55%, significantly higher than the Senate's 47%.
Ranjit Rai, director of the OCTA Research Institute, stated that the Senate's trust crisis might only be a temporary phenomenon, but the negative public opinion triggered by the vice president's impeachment case is one of the main reasons for the current change in public opinion.
Experts point out that the Senate's inconsistent stance and slow action on online gambling issues internally, while the House of Representatives is more active in legislation and reform, winning more public support. This survey covered 1,200 adult Filipino citizens, with a margin of error of ±3% and a confidence level of 95%.
