“Groceries and food are so hard to buy now. Even if you earn minimum wage, it still doesn’t fit the budget,” Emilyn said in Filipino, echoing the frustration of many Filipinos feeling the squeeze of rising prices.

In people-on-the-street interviews by the DAILY TRIBUNE, Emilyn, Jik and Jackielyn shared a common sentiment: daily expenses, not politics, shape their view of the Marcos administration.

“Prices, the inflation rate, food, transportation — everything has continued to increase,” Jik said, linking these pressures to declining satisfaction with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Jackielyn, meanwhile, said she hopes the President focuses more on helping the poor and addressing economic concerns rather than spending time on the flood control controversy.

Their concerns come as official data showed the economy grew by 4.4 percent in 2025, below the government’s target of 5.5 to 6.5 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

In November 2025, Marcos said confidence in the Philippine economy had been “restored” following the exposure of ghost flood control projects. 

Finance Secretary Frederick Go later said, “For 2026, we will bounce back and we will definitely have a GDP of at least 5 percent.”

A Social Weather Stations survey conducted from 24 to 30 November 2025, and released on Tuesday showed public dissatisfaction with the President at 43 percent, while satisfaction stood at 40 percent, giving him a net rating of -3, categorized as neutral.