A recent nationwide survey has delivered a powerful message to Philippine leaders: citizens are demanding concrete action on the soaring cost of living and systemic corruption, viewing the two issues as fundamentally linked.
Top Public Demands: Food Prices and Graft
The study, commissioned by think tank Stratbase and conducted by Pulse Asia from December 12 to 15, 2025, found that economic anxiety is paramount. A significant 38 percent of respondents identified making food more affordable as the most urgent action the government must take. This concern was the highest-ranked priority across all regions and socioeconomic classes, underscoring the universal strain of inflation on Filipino households.
Immediately following this, 31 percent of Filipinos named reducing or eliminating corruption as a top priority. The findings indicate a public that no longer sees graft as just an abstract moral issue, but as a direct contributor to their daily financial struggles.
Corruption's Direct Impact on Daily Life
Victor Andres Manhit, founder and CEO of Stratbase Group, emphasized that the public perceives a clear cause-and-effect relationship. "Filipinos recognize that corruption has direct consequences on their daily lives," Manhit stated. "When public funds are misused, people feel it through higher prices, weaker public services and fewer job opportunities."
This perspective marks a shift in public scrutiny, with citizens increasingly basing their approval of leaders on tangible economic outcomes and governance integrity rather than political promises alone.
A Unified Call for Economic Security and Accountability
The creation of more jobs and livelihood opportunities was the third highest concern, cited by 21 percent of respondents, reinforcing the survey's core theme: a demand for measurable economic improvement.
Manhit clarified that the public is not offering an either-or proposition to its leaders. The electorate expects urgent economic pressures to be addressed while simultaneously ensuring accountability through the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of those involved in corrupt practices.
"The message from the survey is clear," Manhit concluded. "People want concrete economic relief alongside credible action against corruption, because these issues are deeply interconnected in everyday life." The data presents a unified challenge for leadership to tackle these intertwined problems head-on.
