Pay hike, inflation Filipino's top concerns

MANILA, Philippines — Increasing the pay of workers and controlling inflation remain the “most urgent” issues many Filipinos believe the Duterte government should address, according to Pulse Asia’s first quarter survey.

The survey, conducted from March 23 to 28 and released yesterday, found that 50 percent of Filipinos were most concerned about increasing workers’ pay, up by 11 points from 39 percent in December 2017.

This was followed by “controlling inflation” at 45 percent.

The other issues deemed urgent by Filipinos were poverty reduction (35 percent), job creation (32 percent), fighting criminality (27 percent), fighting graft and corruption in government (22 percent), promoting peace (22 percent), reducing the amount of taxes paid by Filipinos (15 percent), protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs, 13 percent), enforcing the rule of law (10 percent) and protecting the environment (10 percent).

Pulse Asia said Filipinos were least concerned about population growth (seven percent), national territorial defense (six percent), terrorism (four percent) and Charter change (three percent). 

“Public concern about the need to increase the pay of workers and protect the welfare of OFWs becomes more pronounced between December 2017 and March 2018,” Pulse Asia said.

“Year-on-year, it may be noted that Filipinos have become more concerned about increasing workers’ pay (+7 percentage points) and reducing poverty (+8 percentage points),” it added.

However, public concern about job creation and corruption eased between March 2017 and March 2018 at -7 and -9 percentage points, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Duterte administration continued to enjoy majority approval ratings on 11 of 12 selected national issues, Pulse Asia said.

Filipinos were most appreciative of the administration’s efforts to respond to the needs of areas affected by calamities (86 percent), protecting the welfare of OFWs (84 percent) and fighting criminality (81 percent).

Majority approval scores were also enjoyed by the Duterte government for its work in the areas of promoting peace (71 percent), enforcing the rule of law (71 percent), protecting the environment (71 percent), fighting corruption in government (70 percent), increasing the pay of workers (68 percent), creating more jobs (67 percent), defending national territorial integrity (67 percent) and reducing poverty (53 percent).

The administration registered its “non-majority” approval rating on the issue of inflation, for which it received a 39 percent approval rating, a 33 percent disapproval score and a 28 percent indecision figure.

“It may be recalled inflation is an issue considered urgent by 45 percent of Filipinos,” the pollster said.

Pulse Asia noted there were only a few changes in public opinion concerning the administration’s performance between December 2017 and March 2018.

The poll used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 Filipino adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.

For its part, Malacañang said the issues raised by the respondents of the Pulse Asia survey were already being addressed by the government. 

“The concerns are the same as that of the President, right? He wants a comfortable life for our countrymen. This jibes with the aspirations of our people,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a press briefing yesterday.