SWS: Lower food prices top concern of Pinoys

RICE SUPPLY / APRIL 7, 2020 FOOD SECURITY. Farmer Julius Navera of Libod village in Camalig town in Albay province asked his friend to allow him to help in harvesting the palay in order to provide for the family as President Rodrigo Duterte extented the Enhanced Community Quarantine to curb Covid-19 cases in the country. PHOTO BY MICHEL B. JAUCIAN / INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

Most Filipinos believe that economic concerns, particularly lowering food prices, should be the priority of President Marcos, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy and conducted from Sept. 24 to Sept. 30, the SWS poll showed that 56 percent of respondents said the President should focus on “reducing the price of rice and other food products.”

Addressing corruption ranked second overall, with 31 percent saying the Marcos administration should prioritize “addressing corruption issues in the government.”

The need to lower food prices resonated most strongly in the Visayas (59 percent) and Mindanao (61 percent). It scored 55 percent in Luzon outside of Manila and 44 percent in Metro Manila.

More Filipinos in rural areas (57 percent) also expressed concern over food prices compared to those in urban centers (54 percent).

On the need to address corruption, 45 percent of respondents in Metro Manila said it is the most pressing issue facing the country, followed by 32 percent in Luzon outside of Manila, 31 percent in the Visayas, and 19 percent in Mindanao.

Urgent reality

Other issues that Filipinos believe deserve the government’s attention include providing adequate education (7 percent) and improving health-care facilities (4 percent). Only 3 percent of respondents said they did not know enough to give an opinion.

Stratbase Group President Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said this survey highlights the urgent reality that Filipinos are still struggling to afford basic food.

Stratbase also noted that the results reflect a growing public demand for responsive leadership that delivers both concrete economic outcomes and clean governance.

The survey was conducted among 1,500 adults using face-to-face interviews and had a sampling margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percent for national percentages.