MANILA, Philippines – Corruption has emerged as the single most important issue Filipinos want President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to address, while concerns over household finances and the broader economy continue to shape public sentiment, according to the latest PAHAYAG national survey.
Nearly three in ten registered voters (29%) asserted that addressing corruption should be the administration’s top priority, far exceeding every other issue tested. Other concerns followed, including the Philippine economy at 7%, poverty, prices, and inflation at 6%. Education, wages, jobs, public healthcare, and peace and order each stood at 4%, while illegal drugs and rising petroleum prices trailed at 3%.
The same pattern is reflected at the household level. The leading concern heading into the next quarter is witnessing corrupt practices in local government offices and public agencies, cited by 18% of respondents.
This is followed by concerns over the slow recovery of the Philippine economy (10%) and the inability to purchase basic commodities because of rising prices, and not being able to afford basic needs at 9%. Other everyday financial anxieties also emerged: receiving insufficient pay, and the inability to access healthcare or hospitalization were at 7%, job loss and becoming a crime victim at 6%, and facing challenges in securing employment at 5%. Collectively, these interrelated worries indicate that household finances remain under sustained pressure, despite signs of improving economic expectations.
Economic outlook shows cautious optimism
While immediate concerns remain centered on corruption and household affordability, expectations for the months ahead have improved compared with the previous quarter. Twenty-nine percent of Filipinos believe the national economy will improve in the next quarter, while 46% expect their household financial condition to improve. Even so, a plurality of respondents remain cautious, with 41% expecting the national economy to worsen and 22% believing household finances will remain largely unchanged.
10 years ago: Economy lags, households fare better
Longer-term perceptions also reveal a contrast between national and personal assessments. Compared with ten years ago, two in three Filipinos believe the overall Philippine economy has deteriorated, with 63% saying it is somewhat or much worse today. In contrast, Filipinos are more optimistic about their own circumstances: 42% say their household’s financial condition is better today than it was in 2016, while 36% believe it has worsened.
In summary, corruption has become the nation’s primary public concern, surpassing all other challenges, even as daily life remains heavily influenced by different economic issues. While there is growing optimism among Filipinos on short-term national economic prospects and individual household finances, priorities remain affected by concerns on governance, financial security, and affordability.
PQ2-2026 is an independent, non-commissioned nationwide purposive sampling survey conducted from June 28-30, 2026, comprising 1,509 respondents who are registered Filipino voters, randomly selected from the market research panel of PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with global operations and a regional office in Singapore. The national margin of error is +/- 3%.
PAHAYAG is a CSR of PUBLiCUS Asia Inc., which has tracked key metrics since 2017, while Vox Opinion Research is its commissioned research arm since 2013.
For more information on the survey methodology and detailed results, please visit www.publicusasia.com/pahayag.
