MANILA, Philippines – More than half of Filipinos believe that women face significant barriers to entering politics unless they come from a political family, according to a recent Stratbase-Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The survey, conducted from March 15-20, 2025 revealed that 55 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “It is hard for a woman to become a candidate for political office unless she comes from a family of politicians.” 

Of these, 25 percent strongly agreed while 30 percent somewhat agreed. In contrast, 25 percent disagreed, and 19 percent remained undecided.

This sentiment resulted in a net agreement score of +30, which SWS classifies as “very strong.” The figure represents an increase from +22 in September 2024, indicating a growing recognition of the difficulties women face in breaking into politics without family connections.

Across different regions, the perception of political dynasties as a barrier for women was most pronounced in Mindanao and Balance Luzon, where the net agreement scores were +37 and +32, respectively. In contrast, agreement was lower but still notable in the Visayas (+25) and Metro Manila (+19). 

The survey likewise noted that educational background also played a role in shaping opinions, with junior high school graduates registering the highest net agreement at +34, followed closely by elementary and non-elementary graduates. Meanwhile, college graduates remained largely neutral on the issue, with a net agreement score of just +9.

Despite these structural challenges, Filipinos still express strong confidence in women’s leadership abilities. The survey found that 74 percent of respondents believe women in politics are more likely to advocate for social issues such as education and healthcare, earning a net agreement score of +62, which is classified as “extremely strong.” 

Additionally, 51 percent of respondents said that women are better at governance than men, though this belief was significantly higher among women, who had a net agreement score of +40, compared to +17 among men.

The Stratbase-SWS March 2025 National Survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters across the country, including respondents from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The survey results carry a ±2.31 percent margin of error at the national level.