Ahead of Marcos' 5th SONA, Pinoys want jobs, stronger anti-corruption drive — survey
MANILA, Philippines — While affordable food remains the top concern of Filipinos, more are now urging the government to create jobs and crack down on corruption, according to a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The survey, conducted from June 28 to July 3 and 6 among 2,400 respondents, found that 30% of Filipinos said the government's top priority should be making food more affordable, particularly staples such as rice, meat and fish.
| Government priority | National | Location | Class | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCR | BL | VIS | MIN | ABC | D | E | ||
| Have more affordable food prices (rice, meat, fish) |
30% | 36% | 30% | 28% | 26% | 19% | 30% | 44% |
| Lessen or eliminate corruption to provide better services |
28% | 27% | 27% | 27% | 32% | 34% | 28% | 20% |
| Create more jobs and livelihood opportunities |
28% | 25% | 30% | 24% | 28% | 30% | 27% | 26% |
| Provide accessible education and healthcare services |
14% | 12% | 12% | 20% | 15% | 17% | 14% | 10% |
| Others | 1% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Source: Pulse Asia Research Inc. survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group. Conducted June 28–July 3 and 6, 2026 among 2,400 respondents nationwide.
The figure, however, was down from 41% in March.
Meanwhile, calls for job creation and anti-corruption efforts continued to grow.
About 28% of respondents said creating more jobs and livelihood opportunities should be the government's top priority, up from 24% in March. The same percentage, 28%, said the government should prioritize reducing or eliminating corruption, slightly higher than the 26% recorded in the previous survey.
The findings were consistent with another Pulse Asia survey released Friday, which found that Filipinos want Marcos to address corruption and ensure affordable basic goods in his SONA.
"The message from Filipinos is remarkably consistent. They want government to sustain efforts to keep food affordable, but they are also demanding stronger action against corruption and more opportunities for decent jobs. These are no longer separate concerns but interconnected expectations of effective governance," Stratbase Group President Victor Andres "Dindo" Manhit said.
The survey also found growing demand for better education and healthcare services, with 14% of respondents identifying these as the government's top responsibility, up from 10% in March.
Across regions, concern over food prices declined the most in Balance Luzon, dropping from 46% to 30%, and in Mindanao, where it fell from 46% to 26%.
| Government priority | National | Location | Class | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Δ | NCR | BL | VIS | MIN | ABC | D | E | |
| Affordable food prices | 30 | 41 | 38 | -11 | 36 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 19 | 30 | 44 |
| Fight corruption | 28 | 26 | 31 | +2 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 32 | 34 | 28 | 20 |
| Create jobs | 28 | 24 | 21 | +4 | 25 | 30 | 24 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 26 |
| Education & healthcare | 14 | 10 | 10 | +4 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 10 |
Source: Pulse Asia Research Inc. survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group. Survey conducted June 28–July 3 and 6, 2026.
Support for job creation saw its biggest increase in Balance Luzon, climbing to 30% from 14%.
Mindanao respondents were the most likely to prioritize fighting corruption, with 32% identifying it as the government's top concern.
The survey also showed that lower-income Filipinos remained more focused on food prices, while higher-income respondents were more likely to prioritize corruption and job creation.
Manhit said the administration now faces a broader challenge than keeping inflation under control.
"They want an economy that creates opportunities and a government that is transparent, accountable, and capable of delivering results. Meeting these expectations will be critical in sustaining public trust,” he said.
The survey results come ahead of Marcos' fifth SONA on Monday, July 27. Malacañang has said the president's speech will include an "earth-shaking" announcement and highlight the administration's accomplishments, but will not touch on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
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