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The Philippines
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Philippine midterms: voter anger over cuts, Duterte’s arrest threaten Marcos’ Senate slate

Addressing Filipinos’ concerns about bread-and-butter issues will be key to winning their votes in the midterms, analysts say

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Police block protesters during a rally in Manila on Monday calling for the Philippines to rejoin the International Criminal Court. Photo: AP
Sam Beltran
Senate candidates backed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr are steaming ahead before May’s midterm elections, but analysts say their advantage may slip as budget cuts – alongside former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Court – stoke public anger.
In the 2025 national budget, the Philippine government reduced allocations for key sectors: education by 11.6 billion Philippine pesos (US$202 million), health by 25.8 billion pesos, and agriculture by a massive 43.2 billion pesos.

Additionally, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, known commonly as PhilHealth, received no government subsidy after its officials were accused of misappropriating excess funds.

Nearly three in five Filipinos believe cuts to the education sector go against the country’s constitutional mandate to prioritise schooling, according to the latest Philippine Public Opinion Monitor from independent polling firm WR Numero, which surveyed about 2,000 Filipinos last month.

Meanwhile, 56 per cent said they thought the reduced budget for agriculture could drive up food prices and impoverish farmers and fishermen, while 53 per cent said budget cuts for the health sector would hinder access to public healthcare.

Analysts say widespread opposition to budget cuts is a “critical” concern for voters and could steer them away from Marcos-backed candidates.

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