KEEPING food affordable remains the top priority of Filipinos, but more people are urging the government for job creation and stronger anti-corruption efforts, the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group showed.
Conducted from June 28 to July 3 and 6 among 2,400 respondents, the poll revealed that 30 percent of Filipinos identified lowering the cost of basic food items, including rice, meat, and fish, as the national government's foremost responsibility.
While food affordability remained the leading concern, the figure fell by 11 percentage points from 41 percent recorded in a similar March 2026 survey.
Meanwhile, demand for employment opportunities and stronger action against corruption increased.
The proportion of respondents who said the government should prioritize creating more jobs and livelihood opportunities rose to 28 percent from 24 percent in March, while those who cited reducing or eliminating corruption to improve public services increased to 28 percent from 26 percent.
The findings came as another Pulse Asia survey, also released on Friday, showed that Filipinos want President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to focus his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on combating corruption, particularly by holding accountable those involved in the controversial flood control projects, followed by ensuring affordable basic goods.
Stratbase Group President Victor Andres Manhit said the results indicate that Filipinos now expect the government to go beyond stabilizing prices.
"The message from Filipinos is remarkably consistent. They want government to sustain efforts to keep food affordable, but they are also demanding stronger action against corruption and more opportunities for decent jobs. These are no longer separate concerns but interconnected expectations of effective governance," Manhit said.
The survey showed that 14 percent of respondents identified improving access to education and healthcare as the government's top responsibility, up from 10 percent in March.
Regionally, concern over food prices declined across most areas, with the sharpest drops recorded in Balance Luzon, from 46 percent to 30 percent, and Mindanao, from 46 percent to 26 percent.
Support for job creation registered its biggest increase in Balance Luzon, rising 16 percentage points to 30 percent, while concern over corruption doubled in Mindanao from 16 percent in March to 32 percent in July.
By socioeconomic class, affordable food remained the top concern among Class E respondents at 44 percent, compared with 30 percent among Class D and 19 percent among Class ABC.
Higher-income respondents were more likely to prioritize governance issues, with 34 percent of Class ABC respondents citing anti-corruption efforts as the government's top responsibility, compared with 28 percent in Class D and 20 percent in Class E.
Manhit said the findings suggest that as the Marcos administration enters its final two years, Filipinos expect economic stability to translate into better jobs, transparent governance, and improved public services.
"They want an economy that creates opportunities and a government that is transparent, accountable, and capable of delivering results. Meeting these expectations will be critical in sustaining public trust," he said.
