Filipinos want Marcos’ Sona to focus on anti-corruption drive – survey
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos will deliver on Monday his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), one of the two remaining orations he will give before he finishes his six-year term in 2026.
While Malacañang hinted of another “earthshaking announcements” this year, the public are anticipating a follow-up on his “Mahiya naman kayo!” (Have some shame!) rebuke from last year’s Sona.
In that speech, he exposed and ordered a sweeping investigation into the multibillion corruption scandal involving anomalous flood control projects.
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The latest survey by Pulse Asia released on Saturday echoed this sentiment: While bringing down the cost of food remains the country’s foremost concern, public attention is increasingly shifting toward strengthening the government’s fight against corruption and creating more jobs.
Conducted by Pulse Asia from June 28 to July 3, the Stratbase Group-commissioned survey found that three in 10 Filipinos (30 percent) identified making food more affordable – particularly staples such as rice, meat and fish – as what they want the national government to consider as top priority.
But while food prices remained the leading concern, the figure marked an 11-percentage-point decline from 41 percent in a similar March survey.
At the same time, demand for job creation and anti-corruption measures increased both to 28 percent, which is statistically equal to 30 percent in the survey, with a plus-minus 2-percent margin of error.
The proportion of respondents who said the government should lessen or eliminate corruption to provide better services increased to 28 percent from 26 percent in March (+2 points), while those want creating more jobs and livelihood opportunities as the foremost goals rose to 28 percent from 24 percent (+4 points).
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The findings mirror the results of a separate Pulse Asia survey released on Friday, which found that Filipinos want the president to focus on combating corruption in his fifth Sona (29.8 percent) – particularly by holding accountable those involved in the flood control projects controversy – followed closely by ensuring affordable basic goods (18.7 percent).
READ: Marcos teases new chapter in corruption fight
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According to Stratbase Group President Victor “Dindo” Manhit, the two Pulse Asia surveys reflected an evolving set of public expectations as the administration entered its final two years in office.
“The message from Filipinos is remarkably consistent. They want the government to sustain efforts to keep food affordable, but they are also demanding stronger action against corruption and more opportunities for decent jobs,” Manhit said.
“These are no longer separate concerns but interconnected expectations of effective governance,” he added.
Manhit said the survey results show that the next political test for the remaining two years of the Marcos administration will be to keep inflation under control, and, at the same time, to go on “convincing Filipinos that it can translate economic stability into better jobs, cleaner governance, and more responsive public services.”
“Filipinos 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 pointed out. /apl
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