Inflation, wages top concerns – survey

INFLATION, affordable food and higher wages are the most urgent concerns among Filipinos, a nationwide survey conducted by OCTA Research showed.

Staying healthy remained a top personal concern, the survey, conducted from March 24 to 28, found.

OCTA said 57 percent of Filipinos want the government to rein in the prices of goods and services, 45 percent want salaries increased, and 44 percent long for affordable food like rice, vegetables and meat.

OCTA said the concerns of Filipinos spread out over different areas and socioeconomic groups.

In the Visayas, only 46 percent consider rising prices as an urgent personal concern.

But in the National Capital Region (NCR), the rest of Luzon and Mindanao, nearly six out of 10 respondents said stabilizing prices should be the government’s top priority.

Majority of the respondents in the Visayas worry over access to affordable food (56 percent), compared to those in NCR, Mindanao (both at 38 percent), and the rest of Luzon (44 percent).

Those in the Class E socio-economic bracket are the most concerned by access to affordable food (52 percent), compared to 45 percent in the ABC bracket and 41 percent in the D bracket.

The study found that 57 percent in Class D and 67 percent in Class E also want the government to hold down price increases. In comparison, only 48 percent in Class ABC had the same concern.

Half of the respondents in NCR and 48 percent in Mindanao said the government should focus on increasing wages, as compared to those in Balance Luzon (44 percent) and Visayas (40 percent), respectively.

Class D (57 percent) and E (60 percent) were the most worried, and ABC was the least worried (24 percent).

The survey also showed that few consider controlling the spread of Covid-19 as an urgent national concern.

Fewer still want the government to pursue plans to amend the Constitution. Only one percent of those who participated in the survey expressed their belief that Charter change was an urgent national concern.

When it comes to personal concerns, keeping healthy and avoiding getting sick topped the list for 66 percent of respondents.

On the other hand, 51 percent said their biggest personal concern is to finish schooling or to be able to provide schooling for their children.

Half of those surveyed said having a secure and well-paying job or source of income is their number one concern.

Those in the NCR (78 percent), Balance Luzon (70 percent), and Mindanao (68 percent) were among those who wanted to stay healthy and avoid illness as their concern, as opposed to Visayas respondents (51 percent).

Class ABC (72 percent) and Class D (68 percent) were also concerned about staying healthy, compared to 53 percent in Class E.

Respondents in the Visayas were more concerned about finishing schooling or providing education for their children (59 percent), as opposed to those from the NCR (48 percent) Balance Luzon (47 percent) and Mindanao (52 percent).

Class ABC was also less worried about this personal concern (40 percent), as compared to Class D (51 percent) and E (56 percent).

Mindanao had the lowest percentage of those concerned about having a secure and well-paying job or source of income (35 percent), followed by respondents in the NCR (39 percent). Class ABC (38 percent) also had the lowest percentage among those who think this is a personal concern.

OCTA interviewed 1,200 respondents ages 18 years and above for the survey. It has a ?3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.