Household income security has moved to the forefront of public concerns, with a wage increase emerging as the most pressing issue Filipinos want addressed, based on findings from an independent nationwide poll conducted late last year.
Results from the December 2025 Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research show that 45 percent of respondents identified higher wages as their top concern. Managing the rising cost of goods and services followed closely, cited by 41 percent of those surveyed.
Beyond pay and prices, respondents also pointed to everyday economic pressures. Access to affordable food ranked third at 30 percent, while 29 percent cited the need to address graft and corruption. Providing free, quality education was identified by 28 percent of participants.
OCTA noted that bread-and-butter issues continue to dominate public expectations of government action, particularly those tied to income, inflation, and employment conditions. “Results from the Q4 2025 TNM Survey further indicate a reordering of national priorities toward income sufficiency and wage stability, even as inflation and access to affordable food continue to weigh heavily on households,” the research group said.
At the same time, the survey suggests that governance concerns remain closely linked to economic anxieties rather than sidelined by them, with corruption control still registering as a significant national issue alongside financial pressures.
On a personal level, health topped individual worries, with 68 percent of respondents saying staying healthy was their main concern. Education-related goals followed, as 45 percent cited finishing schooling or being able to support education, while 44 percent pointed to having enough food each day. Having a secure and well-paying job and avoiding serious crime were both cited by 38 percent of those surveyed.
The face-to-face poll covered 1,200 respondents nationwide and carried a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
