Economic issues, not criminality, top Filipinos’ concerns—poll

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

While President Rodrigo Roa Duterte won through an anti-crime and anti-corruption platform, Filipinos said that they want the new chief executive to address economic concerns.

According to the results of the Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted from July 2 to 8 which was released on Wednesday, Filipinos want the new Duterte administration to prioritize three economic issues: control increase in the prices of goods (68 percent), create jobs (56 percent) and implement pro-poor initiatives (55 percent).

Busting criminality has been cited as the fourth most pressing concern among Filipinos at 48 percent.

Other concerns that Filipinos want to be addressed by the Duterte administration include granting of loans to small entrepreneurs and the self-employed (23 percent); crafting of a program addressing the government’s debt problem (17 percent); and continuing the peace negotiations with different armed groups (17 percent).

Less than one percent of Filipinos consider forging the national unity and amending the 1987 Constitution as immediate national concerns.

Sizable to big majorities in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao share the view that the Duterte administration should take steps to control inflation, generate job opportunities and create pro-poor programs.

Across socio-economic classes, those belonging to Class ABC and D believe that the President should address the economic issues immediately while a majority of Class E respondents said that they want inflation to be controlled.

The survey has 1,200 respondents and has a ± 3 percent error margin at 95 percent confidence level. Subnational estimates for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have a ± 6 percent error margin. RAM

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