A new PUBLiCUS Asia survey released yesterday shows that corruption, the economy, and inflation remain the top three issues Filipinos believe President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. should prioritize.
The Pahayag 2025 Second Quarter survey indicated that corruption ranked highest among issues respondents feel need to be addressed by the chief executive (21%), the fourth consecutive quarter since Q3-2024 that this issue remained on top.
The economy (11%) and inflation (11%) followed closely.
Poverty ranked next (9%), while education and illegal drugs each registered at 7%.
After a brief surge in public concern last quarter, the issue of illegal drugs has returned to previous levels, implying that the uptick may have been temporary, the study indicated.
This shift may be attributed to the waning media attention on the ongoing investigation into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the Duterte administration, which likely influenced public focus.
While corruption, the economy, and inflation remain consistent top concerns across most regions and demographic groups, some regional and sectoral variations emerge.
Senior citizens prioritize corruption more than any other group (31%), naming it as their primary concern.
In contrast, inflation is the second leading issue in the National Capital Region (15%).
Meanwhile, poverty emerged as a more urgent concern in North-Central Luzon and the Visayas, and is notably high among the youth aged 18–24, low-income families, the unemployed, and those with lower levels of education.
In Mindanao, the issue of illegal drugs ranks as the second most pressing concern (14%), reflecting a distinct regional priority that diverges from national trends.
At the household level, Filipinos expressed widespread anxiety over affordability (13%), worrying about not being able to meet basic needs, such as food, utilities, and others.
This is closely related to concern over rising prices, which affects 15% of the respondents.
Job scarcity is also a significant issue, particularly among the young population and the unemployed (15%).
Likewise, job insecurity—or fear of losing one’s current employment—is most pronounced among the private sector workers and individuals aged 40–49 (13%). For Filipinos aged 50–59, fear of crime has emerged as a growing issue (16%).
Overall, the latest survey underscores the public’s continuing demand for economic relief, anti-corruption reforms, and opportunities, while also revealing nuanced concerns shaped by region, age, and socio-economic status.
PUBLiCUS said that the non-commissioned survey was conducted from June 27 to 30, using 1,500 respondents who were randomly selected from a pool of registered voters nationwide by PureSpectrum, a California-based market research technology company.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Pinoys to PBBM: Focus on corruption, economy, inflation—poll”
