CHALK it up— Filipinos say school comes first.
According to the latest Stratbase and Social Weather Station survey, 87% of Filipinos believe the newly formed Senate should make education reform its top priority in the 20th Congress.
The survey, conducted on May 2-6, asked Filipino respondents to rank their degree of priority based on the selected issue.
A significant number of respondents believe education should top the 20th Congress’ agenda, with emphasis on improving access, enhancing the public education system, expanding vocational training, and providing more scholarships.
This expectation comes on the heels of alarming data from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which revealed that 5.5M junior high school graduates are functionally illiterate and do not possess basic comprehension skills.
Aside from education, many respondents also believe that agriculture and healthcare should also be prioritized.
Eighty-three percent said that supporting agricultural development should be “definitely prioritized” while 82 percent expressed the same thought on healthcare.
Meanwhile, a significant number of respondents— 79 percent— want the congress to focus on expanding social welfare programs, including providing for cash assistance, housing, healthcare, and education for low-income families.
Moreover, 74% of Filipinos want the Senate to act on demands to raise the minimum wage, and 73% emphasize the importance of prioritizing job creation.
The survey also found that 71% of respondents believe senators should prioritize implementing price control measures to help stabilize the cost of essential goods and services.
Meanwhile, 67% said the Senate must focus on strengthening governance reforms to promote transparency and accountability in government spending.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters aged 18 and above across the country.
It covered 300 respondents in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao.
The margin of error is ±2.31% for national results, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
