Jobs and livelihoods are top of mind for most Filipinos when asked which issue they want President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss in his last State of the Nation Address, results of the latest Pulse Asia survey showed Monday.
The survey, conducted last June 7-16, 2021, showed "Creating more jobs or livelihood" as the top issue for Filipinos at 38 percent, followed by "Improving the national economy" at 35 percent, and "Controlling inflation" at 33 percent.
Unemployment ballooned to 17.7 percent in April 2020, during the height of the strictest lockdown or Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, government data showed.
Last April, the Asian Development Bank also said the pandemic could leave a lasting impact on employment in the Philippines as job creation has shifted to less stable and lower-quality jobs.
According to the survey, other top concerns for Filipinos include "Plans to expedite COVID-19 vaccination" at 31 percent, "Increasing the pay of workers" (26 percent), "Improving the educational system" (26 percent), "Taking action vs Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea" (25 percent), "Fighting graft and corruption in government" (24 percent) and peace in the country (20 percent).
Charter change is the least mentioned issue among survey respondents at 7 percent.
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