Filipinos still most worried about inflation — Pulse Asia

Controlling inflation continues to be the most urgent national concern of Filipinos, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey.

“The need to control inflation remains the leading urgent national concern of Filipinos (59%), with the public’s sense of urgency across 18 selected issues virtually unchanged between December 2025 and March 2026,” Pulse Asia said.

“This is the top first- and second-mentioned urgent national concern in March 2026 (26% and 23%, respectively),” it added.

Inflation is followed by graft and corruption in government (47%) and workers’ pay (36%).

Meanwhile, corruption ranks as the leading third-mentioned concern, cited by 19% of respondents.

Other immediate concerns include reducing poverty (21%), creating more jobs (21%), combating the sale and use of illegal drugs (21%), and fighting criminality (17%).

Additional issues raised were helping farmers (14%), enforcing the rule of law (11%), addressing involuntary hunger (10%), protecting the environment (9%), and promoting peace (9%).

The survey found that inflation (53% in the Visayas, 62% in the rest of Luzon and Mindanao, and 57%–63% across all classes) and graft and corruption in government (58% in the rest of Luzon and 64% in Class ABC) are the only issues considered urgent by a majority of respondents across regions and social classes.

Earlier, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) warned that inflation could accelerate to over 7% if the conflict in the Middle East escalates further and lasts longer.

The survey was conducted from February 27 to March 2, 2026, using face-to-face interviews.

It was based on a nationwide sample of 1,200 representative adults aged 18 and above, with a ±2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level.—MCG, GMA Integrated News