MAJORITY of Filipinos expect incumbent and newly elected leaders to prioritize measures that would improve the healthcare system, food security and agriculture development, infrastructure, improve climate change resilience and address issues concerning the West Philippine Sea and inflation, the May 2 to 6 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The Stratbase Group-commissioned survey, which involved 1,800 adult respondents with a margin of error of ±2.3 percent, showed that 84 percent of Filipinos look forward to better access to healthcare services, while 81 percent call for better food security and agricultural development, and 80 percent expect further development of infrastructure.
Seventy percent want better climate resilience and protection of natural resources, while 67 percent expect the national security and defense in the West Philippine Sea issues to be addressed, along with the management of inflation (62 percent).
SWS also found that 97 percent of the public wants the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize measures that would improve of the accessibility of education through the strengthening of the public education system, distribution of scholarships, and expansion of vocational programs; as well as the agricultural development with subsidies, training and market access for farmers to boost food security.
Ninety-seven percent also want the House to invest more in the healthcare system through affordable healthcare and strengthening of public health infrastructure.
SWS said the other issues that the Senate should prioritize include investing in the healthcare system through affordable healthcare and strengthening of public health infrastructure (96 percent); and expanding social welfare programs to provide cash assistance, housing, healthcare and education to low-income families (95 percent).
It should also prioritize job creation through investments in infrastructure, entrepreneurship and small business support (94 percent); increasing minimum wage to ensure fair compensation (92 percent); price control measures to stabilize cost of goods (91 percent); and strengthening governance reforms to ensure transparency and accountability control (90 percent).
SWS said that for the House, the public wants it to also prioritize expanding social welfare programs (96 percent); promote job creation, promote price control measures, and increase minimum wage (95 percent each); and strengthen governance reforms to ensure transparency and accountability control (94 percent).
