INFLATION is a gut issue that strikes the very heart of every Filipino. Every resident whether living in the city or the countryside is reeling with high prices of even the most basic of commodities. While this might not be believed by a government that issues announcements to the effect that inflation is being handled well, it is backed up by numbers emanating from survey results that were released as recently as the second week of February.
A survey of the OCTA Research group showed three in every four Filipinos say they are dissatisfied with the Marcos administration’s efforts to control the rising cost of basic goods, mostly food.
Results of the Dec. 10 to 14, 2022 survey released on Feb. 17 found a record-high 75% of respondents saying they were dissatisfied with the government’s performance in managing inflation. Only 6% were satisfied, while 19 % were undecided.
‘Good and truthful survey research may be used to assess thoughts, opinions and feelings of the respondents.’
Compared to a similar survey in October, satisfaction with the government’s efforts to control inflation dropped by 8 points from 14%, while dissatisfaction increased by 11 points from 64%. These results do not jive with the announcement of the Philippine Statistics Authority that headline inflation slowed to a three-year low of 2.8% in January.
In terms of reducing poverty, the satisfied respondents further dropped to 14 from 29%, while dissatisfaction increased to 46 from 31%. The remaining 40% were undecided. It should be noted that although the current inflation rate is lower than that in the first half of 2023, having a positive inflation rate means that prices of basic commodities continue to increase.
Numbers are a good indication of mass sentiment in a given time frame, and if these results are compared with those taken some months back, an even better picture of the social climate emerges.
Zooming out, we note that results of the OCTA survey taken on July 22 to 26, 2023 validated a prevailing sentiment — that more and more Filipinos are turning from optimism to pessimism with regard to the economy, particularly those in the Visayas where poverty is most severe. This survey found that 46 % of the respondents believed that the economy would be better in six months. Some 43 % said it would remain the same, while 6% said it would worsen. Another 6 % said they do not know. Clearly, the southward trajectory of the Marcos administration in terms of the citizens’ satisfaction began as early as seven months ago.
In the recent OCTA survey, the government also obtained a satisfaction rate of less than the majority in six other issues: creating more jobs (33% satisfied, 31% dissatisfied), ensuring food security (34, 32), reducing hunger (39, 23), fighting graft and corruption (41, 26), reducing the amount of taxes (46, 17), and helping the poor (48% satisfied, 20% dissatisfied).
Inflation and the above issues are not the only items that matter in a nationwide survey. This research tool may gauge the mass acceptance or rejection of recent national government policies, especially those related to food, peace and order, incomes and jobs. For example, how did the government’s intransigence on the issue of jeepney modernization affect the general sentiment? The same is true with the almost weekly increases in the prices of gasoline and diesel oil, a prime issue that enforces the notion that the government is weak and uncaring.
Good and truthful survey research may be used to assess thoughts, opinions and feelings of the respondents. An extensive one will have the added advantage of sampling a larger population and thus will wield a greater statistical power. OCTA Research has worked hard to earn its good name as a reliable survey group, and we hope that it maintains this reputation.
