Filipinos most concerned with increased wage, controlled inflation

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MANILA – Improved wages among workers (47 percent) and controlled inflation in the market (46 percent) were two of the top national concerns deemed most urgent by Filipinos – both of which the Aquino administration received negative ratings from in terms of performance, according to a Pulse Asia survey.

The results of the poll showed that the national government got negative ratings in increasing the salaries of workers with -4 (33 percent approval, 37 percent disapproval) and controlling inflations with -22 (24 percent approval, 46 percent disapproval).

The government also received a negative score in reducing poverty with -13 (33 percent approval, 41 percent disapproval and only registered one “majority” approval rating which was in protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with +36 (51 percent approval and 15 percent disapproval).

The Pulse Asia survey, which was conducted from September 8 to 14, had 2,400 respondents who were asked to cite their top three most urgent national concerns and the performance ratings of the administration on these concerns.

Fighting graft and corruption (39 percent) ranked third as the most urgent concern. This was followed by creating more jobs (37 percent) and reducing poverty (32 percent), in the fourth and fifth place.

“Essentially, the same percentages of Filipinos mention the same set of issues – workers’ pay, inflation, graft and corruption, jobs, and poverty – first (11% to 18%), second (10% to 17%), or third (11% to 13%),” Pulse Asia said.

Other national concerns included eradicating crimes (25 percent), attaining peace (18 percent), enforcing the rule of law (16 percent) and curbing environmental destruction (13 percent).

Overall, the government got positive ratings in most concerns. They were given a +24 in increasing peace (46 percent approval, 22 percent disapproval); +21 in defending territory against foreigners (43 percent approval, 22 percent disapproval); +20 in curbing the destruction of environment (43 percent approval, 23 percent disapproval); +18 in fighting crimes (44 percent approval, 26 percent disapproval); +15 in enforcing the law on all (39 percent approval, 24 percent disapproval); +6 in creating more jobs (37 percent approval, 39 percent disapproval); and +3 in fighting graft and corruption (39 percent approval, 36 percent disapproval).

In terms of geographic areas, improved pay among workers and controlled inflation remained the top national concerns. Among socio-economic classes, on the other hand, the two remained the main concerns for Class D and E respondents while fighting corruption was the top concern of Class ABC respondents.

Among the least national concerns were the territorial integrity, government change and terrorism. ‘In addition, less than one in 10 of those in Class E (8%) considered rapid population growth as an urgent national concern.’