Filipinos remain cautious about trusting businesses, with high prices and unclear charges emerging as the leading reasons for distrust, according to the 2026 Philippine Trust Study by the EON Group and Ateneo de Manila University.
The first Philippine Business Trust Index scored 72 out of 100, placing businesses in the Conditional Trust category, where confidence depends on continued proof of trustworthiness. None of the nine sectors examined reached the Robust Trust category nationally.
The study’s findings come amid pressure on household budgets, with headline inflation reaching 7.8% in October 2026, according to the study’s release materials.
Among respondents who identified their least-trusted sector, 19.7% cited prices that were too high or unreasonable, 14.7% pointed to unclear prices or fees, and 11.7% cited hidden charges or surprise fees.
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