Pulse Asia: 76% disapprove of govt’s performance on inflation

A Pulse Asia poll found that 76% of Filipinos disapproved of how the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. addressed inflation or the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services.

The 76% disapproval of the government's handling of inflation result in the Pulse Asia survey, taken from June 17 to 24, was a five-percentage point increase from the previous quarter’s figure of 71%.

In contrast, only 5% approved of the government’s performance in controlling inflation while 19% were undecided.

Meanwhile, the same poll revealed that the government’s attempts at reducing poverty had the second-highest disapproval percentage at 51%.

This was followed by increasing workers' pay and fighting graft and corruption in government, with both at 39%; addressing the problem of involuntary hunger at 35%; and creating more jobs at 30%.

The 51% who disapproved of the government’s performance in reducing poverty was a nine-percentage point increase from March 2024’s 42%.

Those who disapproved of the administration’s performance in fighting graft and corruption, however, saw a two-percentage-point reduction compared with last quarter's figures.

The disapproval rating in terms of addressing the problem of involuntary hunger and creating more jobs, on the other hand, also went up by five and four percentage points, respectively.

Likewise, the survey revealed that only 4% of Filipinos believed the Marcos administration fulfilled its campaign promise of reducing rice prices to P20 per kilo.

The June 2024 Pulse Asia poll showed that controlling inflation remained the most urgent national concern of Filipinos at 72%, followed by increasing the pay of workers a far second at 44%, reducing poverty at 32%,  creating more jobs at 30%, and fighting graft and corruption in government at 22%.

The area with the highest percentage of those whose main concern was controlling inflation was Mindanao at 77%, followed by Balance Luzon at 74%, the National Capital  Region (NCR) at 67%, and the Visayas at 66%.

Those who are concerned about increasing the pay of workers were mostly in the Visayas at 51%, followed by NCR at 46%, Balance Luzon at 45%, and  Mindanao at 33%.

The poll also found that 32% of Filipinos said the administration fulfilled its promise to strengthen tourism in the country.

On the other hand, 26% of the respondents said the administration improved infrastructure, while 24% said the government delivered on its promise to defend national sovereignty (24%).

There were 21% who said the government fulfilled its promise to increase food production and attain food security, while 19% said the government made good on its vow to institute various renewable energy sources.

For 16% of respondents, the Marcos administration fulfilled its promise to make bureaucratic processes efficient, while  9%  said it had delivered on its promise to create the Philippine Virology  Institute.

The June 2024 Pulse Asia poll used face-to-face interviews with 2,400 respondents aged 18 years old and above.

It has a ± 2% error margin at a 95% confidence level.

Subnational estimates for each geographic area covered in the survey  (i.e., Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas,  and Mindanao) have a ±  4% error margin, also at a 95% confidence level. — DVM, GMA Integrated News