FILIPINO voters are grappling with a governance crisis marked by widespread corruption and declining public trust, and an economic problem fueled by rising cost-of-living pressures linked to the Middle East war.
Both issues are shaping national priorities and household anxieties heading into the next quarter, according to a new survey by Pahayag.
The nationwide survey found that 20 percent of voters identified corruption as their top concern, a figure that rises to 34 percent when combined with related worries over public trust (9 percent) and its impact on business confidence (5 percent).
Economic concerns, though dispersed across multiple issues, affect an even larger segment of the population.
Rising fuel prices (12 percent), the state of the economy (8 percent), inflation (7 percent), poverty (5 percent), and low wages (4 percent) collectively account for 36 percent of voter concerns, reflecting the broad cost-of-living pressures households are experiencing.
Pahayag’s survey showed that corruption is not only perceived as a national problem but also a direct, everyday challenge for Filipinos.
Thirteen percent of respondents cited witnessing corrupt practices in government offices as their primary concern for the coming quarter.
Other pressing household issues include the inability to afford essential goods (12 percent), meet basic needs (10 percent), and secure sufficient income (7 percent).
While secondary to domestic issues, global conflicts are contributing to anxiety. About 10 percent of respondents fear that military conflict in the Middle East and tensions in the Taiwan Strait could affect Philippine security and the economy.
Another 9 percent are concerned about the country being drawn into broader conflicts (5 percent) or the potential impact on overseas Filipino workers (4 percent).
Combined, these figures suggest that nearly one-fifth of the electorate views geopolitical risks as a tangible threat to their livelihoods.
The survey is an independent, non-commissioned, purposive sampling conducted from March 21–24, 2026, covering 1,509 registered Filipino voters.
Respondents were randomly selected from the PureSpectrum research panel, with a national margin of error of ±3 percent.
Pahayag is a corporate social responsibility initiative of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., which has monitored key national metrics since 2017. Vox Opinion Research has served as its commissioned research arm since 2013.
