Metro Manila, Philippines – The need to raise wages was the top national concern for Filipinos in the previous quarter, pollster OCTA Research said on Saturday, Jan. 23.
In its December survey, OCTA Research found that 45 percent of respondents listed “improving or increasing workers’ wages” as the top national concern, from 27 percent recorded in September.
It overtook “controlling the increase in prices of basic goods and services,” which has been consistently on top since March 2022.
The share of respondents choosing controlling inflation as the top concern went down to 41 percent from 48 percent in the third quarter of last year.
It was followed by “access to affordable food” at 30 percent, “fighting graft and corruption in government” at 29 percent, and “providing free equality education” at 28 percent.
“This represents a notable reordering of national priorities, with wage concerns moving from the lowest-ranked among the top three urgent issues since November 2024 to the leading concern in Q4 2025,” OCTA Research said.
“While easing inflation and improved perceptions of food security may have reduced the urgency of price-related concerns, the rising focus on wages indicates that many households remain attentive to income adequacy and economic resilience—particularly in managing everyday expenses and
buffering against short-term shocks that may not be fully captured by broader poverty indicators,” researchers noted.
Meanwhile, staying healthy and avoiding illnesses was the top urgent personal concern at 68 percent.
Other top personal concerns were finishing schooling or supporting children’s education at 45 percent, and the desire to have enough to eat every day at 44 percent.
The Department of Labor and Employment on Thursday announced an P800 increase in the monthly minimum wage for domestic workers in the National Capital Region, bumping their monthly pay to P7,800.
In January, DOLE also said that the minimum wage rates in Northern Mindanao have been set at P486 for the non-agriculture and agriculture sectors under Wage Category I, and P471 for the same sectors under Wage Category II.
The rates will go up to P500 for Category I and P485 for Category II by May.
The monthly minimum wage of kasambahays in Northern Mindanao also increased to ₱6,500.
