Poll: Pinoys still most concerned with inflation

MANILA, Philippines — Seven in 10 Filipinos have identified inflation as among their most urgent national concerns, a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed.

Results of the March 6 to 10 survey released yesterday showed that 70 percent of the
respondents across socio-economic classes selected inflation as their most urgent concern.

It was highest among those in the Visayas at 77 percent, Metro Manila at 71 percent, Mindanao at 69 percent and rest of Luzon at 67 percent.

By social class, it was selected the most urgent among those in the socio-economic class E at 73 percent, followed by those in class ABC at 71 percent and class D at 69 percent.

Following inflation in the list of most urgent concerns were increasing the pay of workers (36 percent), fighting graft and corruption (26 percent), creating more jobs (25 percent), providing assistance to farmers (19 percent), addressing hunger (17 percent), providing support to entrepreneurs (14 percent), stopping the destruction of the environment (11 percent) and fighting criminality (11 percent).

These were followed by equal enforcement of the law (10 percent), reducing taxes (10 percent), defending the integrity of Philippine territory (nine percent), promoting peace (eight percent), protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (five percent) and preparing for terrorist acts (four percent).

Only one percent of the respondents said that Charter change is among their urgent concerns.

Separate survey results released by Pulse Asia late last month found that 88 percent of the respondents oppose Charter change at this time.

Some 14 percent said the Constitution may be amended some other time, while 74 percent said the Constitution should not be amended now nor any other time.

Only eight percent supported amending the Constitution at this time.

Pulse Asia’s non-commissioned Ulat ng Bayan survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.8 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.