More than half of Filipinos believe President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should prioritize reducing the prices of rice and other basic food products, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
Fifty-six percent of respondents said the government should focus on lowering the prices of rice, meat, fish, and vegetables — with the highest support coming from Mindanao (61%), followed by Visayas (59%), Balance Luzon (55%), and Metro Manila (44%).
The national Social Weather Survey, conducted from 24 to 30 September and sponsored by Stratbase Consultancy, sought to identify key issues Filipinos think Marcos should address.
Since his 2022 presidential campaign, Marcos has vowed to bring down rice prices to ₱20 per kilo, a goal he has reiterated throughout his term, though it remains limited to certain areas.
Meanwhile, 31% of respondents said the administration should prioritize tackling corruption in government, such as issues linked to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Education followed at 7%, healthcare at 4%, while 3% said they had no opinion.
The survey also showed that rural residents (57%) were slightly more concerned about food prices than those in urban areas (55%). In contrast, corruption emerged as a top concern among Metro Manila residents (45%), followed by Balance Luzon (32%), Visayas (31%), and Mindanao (19%).