Rowegie Abanto

Dry goods go for sale in makeshift stands in Manila on January 4, 2019. Inflation eases to 5.1% in December 2018 from 6% in November due to falling food and transportation prices. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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Good Market Times

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176109792542920180918-dti-suki-outlet-3088-MD.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">Vegetables sell at lower prices at the Suking Outlet in Quezon City. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Fifty-six percent of Filipinos said that economic concerns remained the top issue that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should focus on, a new Social Weather Stations poll suggested.</p><p>Most Filipinos specifically wanted to see a reduction in the prices of rice, meat, fish, and vegetables, as well as other food products, according to the survey, which polled 1,500 respondents and was commissioned by Stratbase Group.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/pulse-asia-most-filipinos-critical-of-gov-t-response-to-inflation-corruption-1109">Pulse Asia: Most Filipinos ‘critical’ of gov’t response to inflation, corruption</a></div><p>&quot;This concern topped the list of national issues that Filipinos believe should be the administration&#x27;s priority,&quot; the consultancy firm said.</p><p>The issue of high food prices &quot;resonated most strongly&quot; in the Visayas and Mindanao, where many families remained in poverty, Stratbase said. </p><p>It noted that more Filipinos in rural areas expressed concern over food prices compared to those in urban centers, &quot;underscoring how inflation continues to hit poorer communities the hardest.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CORRUPTION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The survey also showed that 31 percent of respondents urged the government to address corruption, &quot;signaling that citizens aspire for both economic relief and good governance,&quot; Stratbase said. </p><p>The call to address government corruption was led by respondents from Metro Manila, followed by the rest of Luzon, and the Visayas, it said, adding that &quot;the data reflects a nationwide concern over the misuse of public funds.&quot;</p><p>The Marcos government is facing pressure from the public to address widespread corruption of infrastructure funds, mostly for flood control projects, after hearings in the Senate and House of Representatives revealed a supposed kickback scheme that allegedly benefited government officials and private firms.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/16/pulse-asia-marcos-duterte-approval-ratings-down-in-september-2025-1116">Pulse Asia: Marcos, Duterte approval ratings down in September 2025</a></div><p>Victor Andres &quot;Dindo&quot; Manhit, president of the Stratbase Group, said the survey &quot;highlights the urgent reality that Filipinos are still struggling to afford basic food.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The more they cannot afford the price of basic food like rice, the more they will ask for concrete reforms on corruption—issues that the President himself has flagged to the Filipino public,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Filipinos are sending a strong message: do not forget to address inflation and ensure food security while strengthening transparency and accountability in government spending.&quot;</p><p>In a separate <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/pulse-asia-most-filipinos-critical-of-gov-t-response-to-inflation-corruption-1109">Pulse Asia survey issued last week</a>, most Filipino adults said they were critical of the Marcos administration&#x27;s efforts to tame inflation and fight corruption.</p><p>Meanwhile, Filipinos also wanted the government to focus on providing adequate education and improving healthcare facilities, according to the SWS survey.</p><p>The poll was conducted from Sept. 24 to 30, 2025, with a ±3 percent margin of error.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ii5W-ZBSOew?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wM3u4yw_8BA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ildM3b7NgJQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Fifty-six percent of Filipinos said that economic concerns remained the top issue that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should focus on, a new Social Weather Stations poll suggested.</p>

Fifty-six percent of Filipinos said that economic concerns remained the top issue that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should focus on, a new Social Weather Stations poll suggested.

Most Filipinos say Marcos should focus on lowering food prices: SWS

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Most Filipinos say Marcos should focus on lowering food prices: SWS

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 22, 2025 10:04 AM PHT

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Updated October 22, 2025 10:05 AM PHT

Read More:

SWS

Social Weather Stations

Inflation

Food Prices

Corruption

Stratbase

Poll

Survey

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