Inflation, corruption drag administration

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that Filipinos were most dissatisfied with the Marcos administration’s handling of inflation, fuel prices and corruption, issues that continue to weigh on public sentiment amid economic uncertainty.

Released on 19 June, the survey recorded a net satisfaction rating of -13 for the administration, indicating that more respondents were dissatisfied than satisfied with its overall performance. Among the issues surveyed, the government’s handling of rising prices received the lowest rating at -5.

Inflation remained a major concern for Filipino households. Headline inflation reached 6.8 percent in May 2026, sharply higher than the 1.8 percent recorded at the end of 2025. Economists attributed the increase to elevated global energy prices linked to tensions in the Middle East, as well as higher transportation, fertilizer and food costs.

The impact was particularly severe among the poorest households. Inflation for the bottom 30 percent of families reached 8.4 percent in May, compared with zero inflation during the same month last year.

Corruption likewise remained a major public concern. The survey registered a net dissatisfaction rating of -10 for the administration’s efforts to curb corruption and irregularities in government.

The findings came as public attention remained focused on ongoing investigations into alleged anomalies in multibillion-peso flood-control projects.

Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan earlier acknowledged that uncertainties arising from the investigations contributed to slower infrastructure spending and weaker investor sentiment in 2025.