A shopper looks at canned goods inside a supermarket in Manila on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority inflation jumped from 7.7% to 8% in November 2022, the highest recorded since the 9.1% in November 2008. The PSA attributed the spike to the high prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose to 10% in November from 9.4% in October. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO
A shopper looks at canned goods inside a supermarket in Manila on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority inflation jumped from 7.7% to 8% in November 2022, the highest recorded since the 9.1% in November 2008. The PSA attributed the spike to the high prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose to 10% in November from 9.4% in October. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO
CONTROLLING inflation, improving wages, and access to affordable food are the top three major concerns the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. must address, according to a survey by OCTA Research.

In OCTA’s non-commissioned survey conducted from October 23 to 27, 57 percent of respondents said the Marcos administration should focus on controlling the rise in prices of basic goods and services, 48 percent said the government should raise workers’ salaries, and 46 percent said there should be more access to affordable food.

Respondents in Balance Luzon are less concerned with inflation than are those in the National Capital Region (NCR), Visayas or Mindanao.

NCR had the lowest percentage of respondents who said they are concerned with access to affordable food.

NCR respondents are more concerned with improving and increasing wages than those in Balance Luzon or Mindanao.

Respondents from the socioeconomic classes A, B and C are also less concerned with access to affordable food than those from classes D and E.

OCTA said the number of respondents concerned with controlling the increase of prices and access to affordable food has increased by 11 percentage points and 10 percentage points respectively, due to the increasing inflation rate which began to rise around the survey period.

From as high as 43 percent in 2021, only 9 percent of Filipinos now consider controlling the spread of Covid-19 as an urgent concern for the government.

The poll showed that 68 percent consider staying healthy and avoiding illnesses are the most urgent personal concern.

Having a secure and well-paying job or source of income followed at 50 percent, and finishing schooling or being able to provide schooling for children was at 48 percent.

OCTA said the only time Filipinos felt that health was not their biggest concern was during the March 2022 survey period, when health issues were replaced by income issues after inflation increased.

The number of those concerned about having a secure and well-paying job or source of income dropped by around 17 percentage points from March 2022 to October 2022 as the economy continued to bounce back and more jobs became available.

There is also a decline in the number of respondents saying they want to avoid being a victim of any serious crime, from 47 percent in January 2021 to 29 percent last October.

OCTA polled 1,200 respondents for the survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.

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