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(24 September, 2015)
RE:

Pulse Asia Researchs June 2015 Nationwide Survey on

Urgent National Concerns

Pulse Asia Research, Inc. is pleased to share with you some findings on Urgent
National Concerns from the June 2015 Ulat ng Bayan national survey. We request you to
assist us in informing the public by disseminating this information.
The survey fieldwork was conducted from May 30 June 5, 2015 using face-toface interviews.
The following developments preoccupied Filipinos in the weeks immediately
prior to and during the conduct of this survey:
1. The case of Mary Jane Veloso who had been meted out the death penalty for drug
smuggling in Indonesia but was granted a reprieve at the last minute by
Indonesian President Joko Widodo as well as the continuing efforts of the
Philippine government and civil society groups and individuals to seek clemency
for Veloso;
2. The observation of Labor Day, with labor groups clamoring for, among other
things, higher wages and greater protection for the welfare of domestic and
overseas Filipino workers like, especially in the wake of Velosos case in Indonesia;
3. The report of the special panel of probers created by the Office of the Ombudsman
to look into the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building II which seeks
to indict Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay,
Jr., other Makati City government officials and some private contractors for
criminal and administrative charges arising from the illegal procurement and
payment for the design and construction of the said building;
4. The decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) to grant a petition filed by the AntiMoney Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze the bank accounts of Vice-President
Binay as well as Makati City Mayor Binay, former Makati City Mayor Elenita
Binay, and some of the reported dummies of the Vice-President in connection with
the investigations done by the Office of the Ombudsman concerning the
construction of the Makati City Hall Building II and Makati Science High School;

5.

The continuation of the hearings conducted by the subcommittee of the Senate

Blue Ribbon Committee regarding the alleged anomalies involving Vice-President
Binay, with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claiming that the PAG-IBIG Fund
granted loans amounting to P 134 million to four real estate developers allied with
the Vice-President;

6. The start of a new school year marked by calls for the scrapping of the K-12
program, the building of more classrooms, lower tuition, and more government
support for the education sector;
7. The killing of alleged terrorist Abdul Basit Usman in Maguindanao during a
firefight between his group and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on 03
May 2015, a development which, Malacaang hopes, would restore public trust in
the MILF and the Mindanao peace process in the aftermath of the January 2015
Mamasapano encounter;
8. The approval by the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on the
Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) of its own version of the proposed legislation, the
Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR), by a vote of 50-17
(with one abstention) and the start of plenary discussions on the matter; the House
of Representatives also approved on second reading a resolution seeking to amend
the so-called restrictive economic provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution;
9. The continuing tensions between the Philippines and China over disputed
territories in the West Philippine Sea and the reported land reclamation activities
of Vietnam on Sand Cay and West Reef which are part of the contested Spratly
Islands;
10. The appointment of former Presidential Commission on Good Governance
(PCGG) Chairperson Andres Bautista as the new head of the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) and those of former Cadiz City Mayor Rowena Guanzon
and Atty. Sheriff Abas as new COMELEC Commissioners;
11. The helicopter crash in Pakistan which killed Philippine Ambassador Domingo
Lucenario, Jr. and six other people on 08 May 2015, with the Pakistani Taliban later
claiming they shot down the army helicopter with an anti-aircraft missile, though
this claim was denied by the Pakistani authorities who, in turn, attributed the crash
to a technical problem with the aircraft;
12. A Commission on Audit (COA) report which claims that a total of P 670 million
from 49 lawmakers Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the
administrations Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which were released
through the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), ended up in the
hands of several questionable non-government organizations (NGOs);
13. A meeting between President Benigno S. Aquino III and Senator Grace Poe in
connection with the possibility of the latter running as president or vice-president
in May 2016 under the Liberal Party (LP) and the disqualification issue based on
2

her lack of residency raised against Senator Poe by Navotas City Representative
Tobias Tiangco, who is the interim president of the United Nationalist Alliance
(UNA); the exchange of words between Vice-President Binay and Senator Poe
with the former saying that the next Philippine president should have experience
and the latter replying that quality of service and honesty are more important than
length of service or experience;
14. The factory fire in Valenzuela City which resulted in the death of 72 individuals
and the creation of a panel of state prosecutors who will determine the possible
criminal and administrative offenses committed by the factory owner, Kentex
Manufacturing Corporation;
15. The welterweight division boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd
Mayweather, Jr. which the latter won through a unanimous decision; and
16. The lowest level of inflation in the country in 20 years at 1.6% recorded in May
2015 lower than the 2.2% inflation rate the previous month which, according to
the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), was due to sufficient
supply of key food items and lower electricity and fuel prices.
As in our previous surveys, this nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200
representative adults 18 years old and above. It has a 3% error margin at the 95%
confidence level. Subnational estimates for each of the geographic areas covered in the
survey (i.e., Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) have a 6% error
margin, also at 95% confidence level. Those interested in further technical details
concerning the survey's questionnaire and sampling design may request Pulse Asia
Research in writing for fuller details, including copies of the pre-tested questions actually
used.
Pulse Asia Researchs pool of academic fellows takes full responsibility for the
design and conduct of the survey, as well as for analyses it makes based on the survey
data. In keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan
group influenced any of these processes. Pulse Asia Research undertakes Ulat ng Bayan
surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort.
For any clarification or questions, kindly contact Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda,
Research Director of Pulse Asia Research at 09189436816 or Prof. Ronald D. Holmes, Pulse
Asia Research President at 09189335497 or via email (ronald.holmes@gmail.com).

Pulse Asia Researchs June 2015 Ulat ng Bayan Survey:

Website Upload on Urgent National Concerns
24 September 2015

Filipinos remain most concerned about two economic-related national concerns

inflation (47%) and workers pay (46%). A second cluster of national issues
deemed urgent by Filipinos includes corruption in government (39%),
employment (36%), and poverty (35%). Four issues make up a third group of
urgent national concerns peace (21%), criminality (20%), rule of law (16%), and
environmental destruction (15%). Filipinos are least concerned about rapid
population growth (9%), national territorial integrity (7%), charter change (4%),
and terrorism (4%). (Please refer to Tables 1 and 2.)
The top first-mentioned urgent national concerns of Filipinos are workers
pay (19%), inflation (18%), corruption (14%), and job creation (13%). As
regards the leading second-mentioned issues considered urgent by
Filipinos, these are inflation (15%), workers pay (15%), poverty (13%),
corruption (12%), and employment (11%). Meanwhile, eight issues are
cited third most urgent national concern by basically the same
percentages of Filipinos inflation (13%), corruption (13%), workers pay
(12%), job creation (12%), poverty (11%), peace (8%), rule of law (8%), and
criminality (7%). (Please refer to Table 1.)
Across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, the only issues
deemed urgent by majorities are workers pay (53% in Metro Manila),
employment (51% in the Visayas), and inflation (53% in Mindanao and
52% in Class E). Those in the rest of Luzon are most concerned about
workers pay (46%) and inflation (45%) while those in Classes ABC and D
are most concerned about workers pay (48% and 46%, respectively),
corruption in government (43% and 42%, respectively), and inflation (40%
and 46%, respectively). On the other hand, the common issues which
Filipinos are least concerned about are charter change (2% to 5% and 1%
to 5%, respectively) and terrorism (both at 3% to 6%). (Please refer to Table
2.)

Table 1
MOST URGENT NATIONAL CONCERNS
May 30 - June 5, 2015 / Philippines
(Multiple Response, up to 3 allowed / In Percent)
Base: Total Interviews, 100%
MENTIONED
OVERALL

FIRST

SECOND

THIRD

Controlling inflation

47

18

15

13

Improving / Increasing the pay of workers

46

19

15

12

Fighting graft and corruption in government

39

14

12

13

Creating more jobs

36

13

11

12

Reducing poverty of many Filipinos

35

11

13

11

Increasing peace in the country

21

Fighting criminality

20

Enforcing the law on all, whether

influential or ordinary people

16

Stopping the destruction and

abuse of our environment

15

Controlling fast population growth

Defending the integrity of

Philippine territory against foreigners

Changing the Constitution

Preparing to successfully face

any kind of terrorism

0.4

Q6. Sa mga sumusunod na isyung pambansa, pakisabi ang hanggang TATLONG isyung dapat aksyunan agad ng administrasyong Aquino.
Maaari kayong magbanggit ng iba pa na wala sa listahan. Alin po ang unang isyung dapat aksyunan agad ng kasalukuyang administrasyon?
Ang pangalawa? Ang pangatlo?

Table 2
MOST URGENT NATIONAL CONCERNS: OVERALL
May 30 - June 5, 2015 / Philippines
(Multiple Response, up to 3 allowed / In Percent)
Base: Total Interviews, 100%

NATIONAL CONCERNS

LOCATION
BAL
LUZ
VIS

RP

NCR

Controlling inflation

47

42

45

Improving / Increasing the pay of workers

46

53

Fighting graft and corruption in government

39

Creating more jobs

CLASS
MIN

ABC

47

53

40

46

52

46

42

45

48

46

46

40

38

33

44

43

42

31

36

37

34

51

26

32

35

41

Reducing poverty of many Filipinos

35

31

36

35

36

30

34

38

Increasing peace in the country

21

15

19

21

29

13

22

21

Fighting criminality

20

26

18

18

22

29

19

21

Enforcing the law on all, whether

influential or ordinary people

16

18

16

12

20

19

16

15

Stopping the destruction and

abuse of our environment

15

13

16

18

12

12

18

Controlling fast population growth

13

18

10

Defending the integrity of

Philippine territory against foreigners

10

Changing the Constitution

Preparing to successfully face

any kind of terrorism

Q6. Sa mga sumusunod na isyung pambansa, pakisabi ang hanggang TATLONG isyung dapat aksyunan agad ng administrasyong Aquino.
Maaari kayong magbanggit ng iba pa na wala sa listahan. Alin po ang unang isyung dapat aksyunan agad ng kasalukuyang administrasyon?
Ang pangalawa? Ang pangatlo?