Pulse Asia survey: 41% of Filipinos want gov't to make food prices affordable

At least 41% of Filipinos want the government to prioritize making food prices affordable, a Pulse Asia survey commissioned by Stratbase showed.

The survey, conducted from February 27 to March 2,  showed that Filipinos want the government to address “having more affordable food prices ... such as rice, meat, and fish.”

This 41% is higher compared with the 38% of Filipinos who wanted the government to make food affordable in Pulse Asia’s December 2025 survey.

Meanwhile, 26% said they want government action to lessen or eliminate corruption to provide better services to the community.  This was 5 percentage points lower than the last survey’s 31 percent, "coinciding with the winding-down of the flood control scandal investigations."

At least 24% said the creation of more jobs and livelihood opportunities should be the government's focus. This was slightly higher than last quarter’s 21%.

The provision of accessible education and healthcare services is a priority for 10 % of the respondents, the survey also showed.

The survey question was, "In your opinion, what should national government leaders primarily do to address the concerns in your local community?"  The respondents were asked to select only one answer from the four choices.

The survey had a total of 1,200 respondents who were shown cards with different concerns listed. It had a ±2.8 percent margin of error. 

It was conducted within the same week that the United States and Israel began their coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear and defense facilities, prompting Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz through which one-fifth of the world’s oil shipment passes.

The conflict sent oil prices spiraling above $100 per barrel, impacting countries including the Philippines.

Stratbase Institute president and CEO Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said the findings reflected growing anxiety over food security and inflation amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, with Filipinos now paying P94 to P115 per liter following a new double-digit increase this week.

“What we are seeing is how geopolitical tensions are directly affecting Filipino households. While corruption remains an important issue, ordinary citizens are now more focused on immediate economic pressures including food prices and income stability,” Manhit said in a statement.

“Our commissioned survey’s findings reinforce concerns that Filipinos are overwhelmingly worried by the rising costs of goods. That there remains a high demand to eliminate corruption also shows that the public has stronger expectations for government accountability whenever food prices rise,” he added.

He urged the government to respond decisively by stabilizing food and gas prices, cracking down on profiteers, and expanding state subsidies to protect the most vulnerable sectors from further shocks.

"Addressing rising food prices must go hand in hand with creating more jobs and ensuring that economic gains are felt at the local community level,” he said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News