Filipinos cite food prices, corruption, jobs as top concerns

Filipinos rank affordable food prices, reducing corruption, and job creation as the top actions government leaders must urgently address in their communities, according to a Stratbase-commissioned nationwide survey conducted by Pulse Asiafrom Dec. 12–15, 2025.

The survey found that 38 percent of respondents identified making food prices more affordable as the most urgent action government leaders should take in their communities.

Reducing or eliminating corruption to improve service delivery ranked second, cited by 31 percent of respondents nationwide.

Creating more jobs and livelihood opportunities placed third, with 21 percent of respondents identifying it as a primary concern.

The results show that these three issues consistently emerged as the highest-ranked concerns across regions and socio-economic classes.

The survey indicates that Filipinos view economic hardship and corruption as closely linked challenges rather than separate policy issues.

While food prices emerged as the most pressing concern nationwide, corruption ranked alongside economic priorities, underscoring public awareness that governance failures directly affect service delivery, household expenses, and livelihood opportunities.

Stratbase Group Founder and CEO Prof. Victor Andres Manhit said the findings suggest corruption is widely understood as an economic issue rather than a purely moral one.

“Filipinos recognize that corruption has direct consequences on their daily lives,” Manhit said.

“When public funds are misused, people feel it through higher prices, weaker public services, and fewer job opportunities.”

Manhit noted that the survey reflects public expectations for parallel government action on both economic and governance issues.

“The public is not presenting an either-or choice,” he said.

“They expect government leaders to address urgent economic concerns while at the same time ensuring accountability through investigation, arrest, and prosecution of those involved in corruption.”

The data also points to heightened public scrutiny of governance performance, with Filipinos increasingly assessing leadership based on tangible improvements in economic conditions alongside credible action to uphold accountability.

“The message from the survey is clear,” Manhit said. “People want concrete economic relief alongside credible action against corruption, because these issues are deeply interconnected in everyday life.”