Inflation tops Filipinos' concerns —Pulse Asia survey

With inflation matching a three-year-high, majority of Filipino adults or 71% consider rising prices "the most urgent issue" the government must address, results of a Pulse Asia survey released on Thursday showed.

The survey — conducted from September 17 to 24 — showed that concerns over inflation rose from 57% in July, making it the only issue cited by the majority of respondents as an urgent concern.

It was also the leading first response (36%) and second-mentioned response (22%), with survey respondents allowed to identify up to three issues they considered most urgent.

Inflation, which measures the rate of increase in consumer prices, accelerated to 7.2% in September from 6.1% in August. This matched the rate recorded in April 2026 and marked the fastest pace since inflation hit 7.6% in March 2023.

The issue was also the only concern cited by majorities across all geographic areas and socioeconomic classes as an urgent national concern.

The share of respondents who identified inflation as a priority ranged from 60% in Metro Manila (up from 55% in July) to 76% in the rest of Luzon (up from 57%). It also rose in the Visayas to 73% from 65%, and in Mindanao to 67% from 50%.

By socioeconomic class, 60% of respondents in Class ABC cited inflation as an urgent concern, compared with 72% in Class D and 75% in Class E.

Despite inflation emerging as the leading concern, the survey found that 81% of Filipinos disapproved of the administration’s performance in controlling the issue, while only 10% approved. The remaining 10% were undecided, due to rounding.

Inflation was followed by graft and corruption in government at 39%, higher wages at 36%, fighting criminality at 24%, and reducing poverty at 21%.

The administration also faced high disapproval ratings for its efforts against the sale and use of illegal drugs (71%), the fight against corruption (70%), reducing poverty (67%), lower gasoline prices (65%), and the fight against criminality (57%).

Among the selected issues, protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers was the only area where the administration received majority approval at 52%. Only 1% of respondents, however, identified this as an urgent national concern.

The survey had a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level, with subnational estimates carrying a ± 4% margin of error. —VAL, GMA News