Soaring prices of basic goods and services have cemented inflation as the overwhelmingly dominant worry for the Philippine public, according to the latest nationwide survey conducted by Pulse Asia.
The poll, conducted between September 17 and 24 among 2,400 adult respondents with a margin of error of two percentage points, revealed that 71 percent of Filipinos consider managing inflation to be the country’s most pressing issue. This marks a significant 14-point jump from the 57 percent recorded in a similar poll conducted in July, highlighting how worsening economic pressures are increasingly weighing on households across the country.
While inflation leads the national consciousness by a wide margin, public concern over other governance and economic matters registered lower figures.
Eradicating government graft and corruption ranked second, with 39 percent of respondents identifying it as an urgent priority, down from 43 percent in July.
Raising workers’ wages remained static as the third most pressing concern at 36 percent, while curbing criminality saw a slight increase to 24 percent from 22 percent. Direct measures aimed at poverty reduction saw a five-point drop, moving from 26 percent down to 21 percent.
Broader economic security issues continue to feature in the public’s demands for official intervention. Job creation climbed three percentage points to reach 18 percent, matching the priority level given to the fight against illegal drug sales and usage, which dipped slightly from 19 percent. Broader anxieties regarding energy costs were reflected in the 14 percent of respondents who called for reduced fuel prices amid the ongoing global energy crunch, a minor increase from the 13 percent recorded two months prior.
A collection of sectoral and administrative concerns recorded single-digit priority levels among the respondents. Agricultural support for local farmers and peace-building initiatives both stood at 9 percent, while addressing involuntary hunger, upholding the rule of law, and reducing taxes dropped to 8 percent, 7 percent, and 6 percent, respectively.
Providing assistance to disaster-impacted communities stood at 6 percent, followed by environmental protection and small business aid at 5 percent each. Lower down the spectrum, defending national territorial integrity recorded 2 percent, while safeguarding overseas workers and mitigating terrorist threats registered at 1 percent each.