A recent nationwide survey has pinpointed the most pressing issues that Filipinos want their government to tackle. The findings highlight a strong public demand for economic relief and greater accountability in governance.
Top National Concerns: Economy and Governance
According to the November 2025 Philippine Public Opinion Monitor conducted by independent firm WR Numero, raising workers' wages and lowering the cost of food and other essential goods are the foremost concerns, each cited by 34% of Filipinos. Close behind is the fight against government corruption, a priority for 28% of respondents.
The survey, which involved face-to-face interviews with 1,412 nationally representative Filipinos from November 21 to 28, 2025, asked participants to select up to three policy priorities. Following the top three, a cluster of issues was highlighted by roughly one in four citizens: combating illegal drugs and crime (22%), fighting poverty and assisting the poor (22%), and creating more jobs and opportunities (22%).
Other significant priorities included holding accountable those involved in anomalous flood control projects (20%), strengthening disaster preparedness (18%), reducing taxes and government fees (17%), and ensuring fair law enforcement (16%).
Diverging Views Across Political Lines
While lowering food prices is a universal top concern across political factions, the survey uncovered distinct emphases among different groups.
Supporters of the Marcos family and allies ranked lowering food prices first (33%), followed by fighting poverty (27%), increasing wages (26%), combating corruption (24%), and job creation (24%).
Independents also placed lowering food prices (35%) and increasing wages (33%) at the top, alongside fighting corruption (27%), job creation (23%), and disaster preparedness (21%).
For pro-Duterte Filipinos, increasing workers' wages was the absolute top priority (38%), with lowering goods prices coming second (32%). Their list continues with combating government corruption (31%), poverty reduction (28%), and fighting illegal drugs and crime (26%).
Opposition supporters aligned with figures like Senator Risa Hontiveros and former Mayor Leni Robredo gave the highest priority to holding officials accountable for anomalous flood control projects (34%). This is followed by lowering food prices (31%), increasing wages (30%), combating corruption (24%), and fighting illegal drugs and crime (24%).
Other Noted Policy Issues
The survey also measured support for other national issues. Protection for Overseas Filipino Workers was stressed by 7% of respondents. National defense concerns, such as defending against China's intrusions in the West Philippine Sea and strengthening the coast guard and armed forces, were each prioritized by 6%.
A smaller share of Filipinos expressed support for regulating political dynasties (5%), legalizing same-sex marriage (2%), and passing a divorce law (2%).
The nationwide survey has a margin of error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level. The subnational margins of error are ±7% for the National Capital Region, ±4% for the rest of Luzon, ±6% for the Visayas, and ±5% for Mindanao.
