Inflation, wage hike top concerns of Pinoys even before Middle East conflict -OCTA

Even before the fuel price shock brought by the Middle East conflict, Filipinos are already concerned about controlling the increase in prices of basic goods and services and increasing the salaries of workers, according to the results of an OCTA Research survey released Friday.

The Tugon ng Masa survey, conducted from March 19 to 25, showed that inflation was the top urgent national concern of 45% of Filipinos, followed by salary increase (33%), graft and corruption in government (26%), and access to affordable food such as rice, vegetables, and meat (24%). 

Other notable concerns include reducing poverty (20%) and providing free quality education (17%).

Octa Research said the findings reflect household conditions before the full inflationary effects of the oil price shock associated with the conflict in the Middle East.

"The March 2026 results may be best understood as a pre-shock baseline—capturing public sentiment before higher fuel, transport, and food costs began exerting broader pressure on household welfare, purchasing power, and food security," it said. 

It added public attention to rising prices is widespread across all major areas and socioeconomic classes.

"Inflation is highest in the Visayas (54%) and Mindanao (51%), indicating particularly strong cost-of-living pressure outside the capital. By socioeconomic class, this pressure is strongest among Class E (56%) and Class ABC (54%), compared to Class D (41%), suggesting that inflation is being felt across income groups, but most sharply among the poor and the urban middle class," the poll firm said. 

In its month-ahead inflation forecast released Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said inflation rate would settle at the range of 5.6% to 6.4% this month, faster than the 4.1% rate seen in March.

The central bank’s forecast range is seen to overshoot the government’s 2% to 4% threshold.

The projected figures were also last seen in 2022 and 2023 when the fuel and fertilizer prices jacked up following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, staying healthy and avoiding illness remains the most urgent personal concern of 67% of Filipinos, followed by having enough to eat every day (46%), having a secure and well-paying job or source of income (42%), being able to have savings (41%), and finishing schooling or being able to provide schooling for children (39%). 

These are followed by avoiding being a victim of serious crime (33%) and owning a house and lot (32%). 

Octa Research said the survey results showed a long-standing pattern in public sentiment, with health remaining the most immediate and consistently prioritized concern among Filipino households. 

It said across all major areas and socioeconomic classes, health remains the top personal priority, underscoring its central place in day-to-day household concerns. Other major personal concerns are centered on basic needs and household security.

The non-commissioned survey covered 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above, both male and female, through face-to-face interviews.

The survey has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have margins of error of ±6% for NCR, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, also at a 95% confidence level.  —AOL, GMA News