Health and the prices of commodities were the biggest things in the minds of Filipinos lately, the latest survey of Pulse Asia showed.
 
Six in every 10 Filipinos surveyed by Pulse Asia in February said their most urgent concerns were “to stay healthy and avoid illnesses” and “controlling high prices of people’s basic necessities.”

Residents of Luzon were also very concerned about their ability to secure well-paying jobs—51 percent in the National Capital Region and 56 percent in Balance Luzon.

On the other hand, residents in the Visayas and Mindanao were also concerned in their ability “to be able to have enough to eat every day.”

The national average showed that health and personal concerns were followed by their desire to finish schooling or provide schooling for their children (49 percent); to have a secure and well-paying job (48 percent); to be able to eat every day (43 percent); to be able to buy their own house and lot (36 percent); to be able to save (34 percent); and to avoid being a victim of serious crimes (29 percent).

Prices of commodities had been the Filipinos’ most urgent national concern since March 2000.

Other top national concerns were the increase of workers’ pay (52 percent); fighting graft and corruption in government (45 percent); reducing poverty (37 percent); equal enforcement of the law (27 percent); peace in the country (25 percent); fighting criminality (21 percent); stopping the destruction and abuse of environment (18 percent); and controlling population (12 percent).

The survey also noted a significant increase in the number of Filipinos citing the fight against graft and corruption as one of the most urgent national concerns, from 36 percent in October 2008 to 45 percent in February.

Pulse Asia asked 1,200 respondents to rank their most urgent “personal” and “national” concerns. Pulse Asia’s nationwide survey was conducted from February 2 to 15, 2009. The survey had a sample size of 1,200 respondents, and a margin of error of ± 3.