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The 2025 elections are just around the corner, and Pulse Asia Research, Inc. has released some fresh insights from its January 2025 Pulso ng Bayan Pre-Electoral Survey—giving us a clearer picture of how Filipinos are feeling about the country’s political climate.

Survey at a Glance

Between January 18 to 25, 2025, Pulse Asia conducted face-to-face interviews with 2,400 adults nationwide. With a ±2% error margin at a 95% confidence level, this survey paints a broad yet precise picture of voter sentiment across the country.

So, what were the biggest headlines leading up to the survey? Buckle up—there’s a lot to unpack!

Key Political Developments Before the Survey

1. Budget Adjustments: President Marcos Jr. signed the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), trimming it down from P6.352 trillion to P6.326 trillion after vetoing some provisions. The reason? Malacañang says they weren’t aligned with priority programs.

2. VP’s Impeachment Drama: A third impeachment complaint against the Vice President was filed, this time by Catholic priests, lawyers, and civic leaders. Meanwhile, the President is not on board with the impeachment push, saying it won’t help Filipinos.

3. Duterte Faces Charges: The House Quad Committee wants ex-President Duterte charged with crimes against humanity over his war on drugs. While the DOJ takes the lead, Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go are ready to defend themselves. Also, Duterte is now facing a disbarment case from human rights groups.

4. VP Removed from the NSC: The President reorganized the National Security Council (NSC), removing the Vice President and all former Philippine presidents. According to Malacañang, the VP isn’t seen as “relevant” to the NSC’s responsibilities.

5. Election Period Begins: The official election season kicked off on January 12, 2025, bringing with it a nationwide gun ban. Meanwhile, COMELEC faced delays in printing ballots due to Supreme Court restraining orders but assured they’ll meet the April 14 deadline.

6. Alice Guo’s Money Laundering Case: The DOJ has recommended 62 counts of money laundering charges against ex-Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, linked to the Baofu compound’s illegal activities.

7. POGOs Officially Over: With Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) shut down, the government is now hunting down 11,000 illegal foreign workers and canceling fraudulent birth certificates.

8. Tensions in the West Philippine Sea: The China Coast Guard (CCG) is still hanging around Panatag Shoal, prompting joint patrols by the Philippines and the U.S.. The new U.S. administration under Donald Trump has reaffirmed its “ironclad” commitment to the Philippines.

9. Trump’s Big Moves: Speaking of Trump, upon returning to the White House, he wasted no time—signing executive orders to end birthright citizenship, withdraw from the WHO and Paris Climate Agreement, and declare a border emergency.

10. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire: A six-week ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19, involving prisoner exchanges and Israeli troop withdrawals.

11. Inflation & Oil Price Hikes: Inflation hit 2.9% in December 2024 (up from 2.5% the previous month), driven by rising costs of utilities and fuel. Meanwhile, Filipinos faced another oil price hike, with diesel going up P2.60/liter and gasoline by P1.60/liter.

What This Means for the Elections

With the campaign season heating up, these political and economic issues could shape voter decisions in the May 2025 elections. Will controversies affect key players? Will inflation and fuel hikes sway public opinion? It’s still anyone’s game.