A clear message on the administration’s priorities

DESPITE the keen focus by President Rodrigo Duterte on the problems of illegal drugs and criminality in the Philippines, it is clear from the results of a Pulse Asia survey released this week that Filipinos have more practical economic concerns.

In the survey conducted from September 25 to October 1, respondents were asked to list their top concerns, and economic issues overwhelmingly topped the list. In all areas of the country, higher pay was the number one concern of Filipinos, with 46 percent of respondents selecting the issue as the top priority the government should address. This was an increase of 6 percentage points from an earlier survey conducted in July.