Philippines survey shows record high sense of powerlessness against corruption

A recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey reveals that 52 percent of Filipino adults believe they are powerless to reduce government corruption. This figure represents the weakest level of personal efficacy against corruption recorded in the series, which spans two decades.

The sense of helplessness is most pronounced in Metro Manila, where 64 percent of respondents agreed that a person like them cannot do anything to curb corruption. In other regions, the sentiment varied: 55 percent in the rest of Luzon, 47 percent in Mindanao, and 42 percent in the Visayas felt similarly unable to make a difference.

The June 2026 poll, conducted from June 20 to 29 among 1,200 adults nationwide, yielded a net disagreement score of -22. This is a slight decline from the -23 recorded in March 2026. Historically, sentiment was more optimistic; for instance, in December 2009, the net disagreement score was zero, with respondents evenly divided on their ability to fight corruption.