Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8) — A recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed that seven out of 10 Filipinos disapproved of the national government’s strategy for controlling inflation.
The poll conducted from Dec. 3 to Dec. 7 that involved 1,200 participants found that 73% of Filipinos do not support the government’s way of handling the increase in prices of goods and services.
Pulse Asia also said in its report that “the current administration enjoys majority approval ratings for its handling of these issues – protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (78%), helping calamity-hit areas (76%), protecting the environment (62%), promoting peace (61%), defending national territorial integrity (61%), fighting criminality (56%), and enforcing the rule of law (51%).”
The respondents were also asked to name the most urgent issue the Marcos administration must immediately address. Controlling inflation ranked first with 72%, followed by increasing the pay of workers (40%), creating more jobs (28%), and reducing the poverty of many Filipinos (25%).
Pulse Asia said the nationwide survey has a ± 2.8% error margin at 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates have ± 5.7% error margins for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao at 95% confidence level.
The government recorded slower inflation in December 2023 at 3.9% from 4.1% in November. National Statistician Dennis Mapa said in a briefing the main sources of deceleration were housing, water, power, gas and other fuels, and food and non-alcoholic beverages.
“Our whole-of-government approach of maintaining price stability, implementing timely non-monetary policy measures, and addressing supply gaps have paid off. Rest assured that the Marcos, Jr. administration is fully prepared to further mitigate the effects of inflation this year amidst global headwinds,” Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said in a statement.
