Survey: PH economy still topmost concern of Filipinos
Majority of Filipinos believe that the Philippine economy is the most important issue that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should focus on.
A poll conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. covering a total of 1,500 female and male Filipino respondents showed that at least 25 percent of Filipinos are most concerned about the Philippine economy.
“Since the first quarter of 2022, it has been consistent – the Philippine economy. Para sa taong bayan, the Philippine economy is holistic (For the people, the Philippine economy is holistic),” said Eric Yancy Estrabo of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc in a public briefing on Friday, Dec. 16.
This was followed by prices of goods and inflation which had a rating of 16 percent, climbing from 11 percent in the third quarter of 2022.
“ means talagang naaapektuhan sila ng high prices ng commodities sa bansa (This means that they are really affected by the high prices of commodities in the country),” Estrabo stressed.
For the Filipino respondents, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should also focus on the following issues: corruption (11 percent), jobs (11 percent), poverty (10 percent), education (6 percent), wages (5 percent), peace and order or crime (4 percent), illegal drugs (3 percent), and environment (2 percent).
Micro issues
In the same survey results, PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. likewise showed the most important micro issues or pressing household concerns of Filipinos heading into the first quarter of 2023.
The list topped “not being able to afford basic needs” at 17 percent. This was followed by “difficulty in finding employment” (14 percent), while “losing a job” and “not getting enough pay” tied at 12 percent.
Completing the list of micro concerns were “getting sick with a serious disease apart from Covid-19” (9 percent), “cannot avail health services or hospitalization” at 8 percent, “getting sick with Covid-19” (6 percent), “become a victim of a crime (6 percent), being “unable to buy medicine” at 4 percent, and “not being able to send children to college” at 2 percent.
“If you look at the macro and micro issues, you can see that it is a very depressing picture. The concerns very basic. ahat kinakapos kahit na may ginagawa ang gobyerno. Kapag nilagay mo na sa actual na konkretong nae-experience nila, kapos na kapos pa rin (We are all lacking even though the government is doing something. When you put it in the actual concrete experience, it is still very lacking),” said Dr. Rosalina Ora'a-Fuentes of Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute.