Jamaine Punzalan

Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

OIL PRICE HIKE

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177364546193820260306-oil-price-hike-refueling-MT2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Motorists line up at a gasoline station along Philcoa in Diliman, Quezon City on Friday, March 6, in a rush to refuel ahead of the expected fuel price increase next week. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/5/inflation-quickens-to-2-4-pct-in-february-0910">Inflation </a>and corruption have emerged as the most pressing national concerns for Filipinos, majority of whom were critical of administration efforts in these two issues, according to a Pulse Asia survey released Monday. </p><p>Out of 1,200 adults polled by Pulse Asia from late February to early March, 59 percent said the national government should immediately tackle inflation. </p><p>Inflation was followed by graft and corruption in government and workers’ pay as the next most urgent concerns at 47 percent and 36 percent, respectively. </p><p>In fourth place is a group of urgent national concerns that includes reducing poverty (21 percent), creating more jobs (21 percent), fighting the sale and use of illegal drugs (21 percent), and fighting criminality (17 percent).</p><p>Helping farmers (14 percent), enforcing the rule of law (11 percent), addressing the problem of involuntary hunger (10 percent), protecting the environment (9 percent), and promoting peace (9 percent) were the next most pressing concerns.   </p><p>“The national administration scores its only majority approval rating for its work in protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (53%),” Pulse Asia noted. </p><p>“Small to big majorities are critical of its efforts to reduce poverty (53%), fight corruption in government (67%), deal with the problem of illegal drugs (68%), and control inflation (73%),” it said. </p><p>The Feb. 27 to March 2 survey was conducted around the time that an infrastructure corruption scandal hounded the administration, while <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/3/16/-staggered-fuel-price-hikes-set-instead-of-one-time-big-time-hike-doe-1339">fuel prices surged </a>due to the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/16/trump-says-we-re-talking-to-iran-but-it-s-not-ready-for-deal-to-end-war-0950">US-Israel war against Iran.</a></p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED STORY:</strong></div><div><strong></strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/16/pulse-asia-approval-ratings-marcos-at-36-pct-duterte-at-55-pct-0938">Pulse Asia approval ratings: Marcos at 36; Duterte at 55</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/16/pulse-asia-approval-ratings-marcos-at-36-pct-duterte-at-55-pct-0938"></a><strong><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/16/pulse-asia-approval-ratings-marcos-at-36-pct-duterte-at-55-pct-0938"></a> </strong></div><div><iframe width="1022" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DfwV734evLo" title="New round of hefty oil price hike set on Tuesday as Middle East war rages on | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1wNADWjpx4s" title="Iran denies Trump claim on negotiations, says ready to defend itself &#x27;for as long as it takes&#x27; | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RJpHKq49rcY" title="How to get: P5K &#x27;ayuda&#x27; for Metro Manila tricycle drivers to start March 17" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Inflation and corruption have emerged as the most pressing national concerns for Filipinos, majority of whom were critical of administration efforts in these two issues, according to a Pulse Asia survey released Monday.</p>

Inflation and corruption have emerged as the most pressing national concerns for Filipinos, majority of whom were critical of administration efforts in these two issues, according to a Pulse Asia survey released Monday.

Pulse Asia survey: Inflation, corruption most urgent national concerns

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Pulse Asia survey: Inflation, corruption most urgent national concerns

Jamaine Punzalan

Published March 16, 2026 03:21 PM PHT

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