Jobs, economy top issues Filipinos want to hear from Duterte in final Sona — Pulse Asia

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives Complex in Quezon City on July 27, 2020. (PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Jobs and the national economy are the top issues Filipino adults want to hear from President Rodrigo Duterte in his final State of the Nation Address (Sona), results of a Pulse Asia survey released Monday showed.

Of the 2,400 Filipino adults surveyed from June 7 to 16, 2021, 38 percent said they want to hear the President discuss jobs or livelihood in the Sona while 35 percent said they want to hear about the Philippine economy.

Trailing the two issues are controlling inflation with 33 percent, plans to expedite the government’s COVID-19 vaccination (31 percent), and improving workers’ pay and the educational system (26 percent each).

This comes as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the government to restrict movements, triggering a rise in unemployment and the economy sinking into recession.  

Some 25 percent of the respondents also said they want to hear the President discuss actions to prevent Chinese incursion in the Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea.

Another 24 percent said they hope to hear Duterte discuss the crusade against  graft and corruption in the government, while 20 percent said attaining peace in the country must likewise be discussed.

Meanwhile, eradicating the problem of illegal drugs was at the near-bottom of the list of issues with 17 percent followed by restoring public trust in the government and its officials with 16 percent, and changing the Constitution with 7 percent.

Forty percent of those who said the President must tackle inflation and jobs are from Metro Manila, Pulse Asia said.

In the rest of Luzon, the most preferred issues are the economy (39%), jobs (37%), the educational system (34%), and inflation (33%) while in the Visayas, the most cited issues are jobs (41%), COVID-19 vaccination (39%), and the economy (33%).

In Mindanao, Pulse Asia said Filipino adults want the following issues to be discussed in Duterte’s final Sona: jobs (36%), the economy (32%), COVID-19 vaccination (31%), inflation (28%), pay of workers (28%), and peace (28%).

The Pulse Asia survey also showed that 69 percent of Filipino adults are aware of any of the past Sonas of Duterte.

The pollster said the majority of awareness are “posted in all geographic areas and socio-economic classes,” though it mentioned that awareness is “more notable in Metro Manila and Mindanao than in the rest of Luzon and the Visayas.”

Duterte is set to deliver his final Sona Monday afternoon.

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