SWS: Majority of Filipinos want Marcos to lower food prices, curb corruption

Majority of Filipinos want President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to focus on lowering food prices while addressing corruption, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group.

The survey, conducted from September 24 to 30, 2025, showed that 56% of respondents identified reducing the prices of rice and other food products as the most urgent issue the Marcos administration should prioritize.

Meanwhile, 31% believed the government should address corruption issues.

Other national concerns ranked far lower, with only 7% citing the need for adequate education and 4% identifying improved healthcare facilities as priorities. Three percent said they did not know or had no opinion.

“The survey highlights the urgent reality that Filipinos are still struggling to afford basic food,” said Prof. Victor Andres ‘Dindo’ Manhit, president of the Stratbase Group. “The more they cannot afford the price of basic food like rice, the more they will ask for concrete reforms on corruption—issues that the President himself has flagged to the Filipino public.”

The nationwide poll covered 1,500 respondents and has a ±3 percent margin of error. The respondents were asked: "Pakisabi po lamang kung alin sa mga ito ang dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Maaari po kayong pumili ng isang sagot lamang (Here are some important national issues in our society at present. Please tell me which of these issues should be the focus of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. You may choose one answer only)."

Economic concerns resonated most strongly in the Visayas (61%) and Mindanao (61%) where residents have been hit hardest by inflation. More Filipinos in rural areas (57%) also cited high food prices compared to those in urban areas (54%), suggesting that the burden of rising living costs remains heavier in poorer communities, according to Stratbase.

Meanwhile, calls to address corruption in government ranked second overall, with the highest concern coming from Metro Manila (45%), followed by Balance Luzon (32%) and the Visayas (31%). Stratbase noted that these figures reflect a consistent nationwide demand for transparency and accountability.

“Filipinos are sending a strong message: do not forget to address inflation and ensure food security while strengthening transparency and accountability in government spending,” Manhit said. 

“Filipinos demand that their hard-earned taxes are put to good use—allocated to the right projects, funding essential services, and most importantly, making a real difference in their lives and those of their families,” he added.

The Stratbase Group said the results reveal a public clamor for responsive governance that delivers both economic relief and clean government.

“This is an opportunity for the administration to recalibrate its priorities—to focus on policies that directly ease the burden of high living costs while pursuing reforms that eliminate corruption,” Manhit added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News