Filipinos want accountability amidst economic issues—SWS survey
An old woman buys fish at a wet market. Photo by Paul Ricafrente
By: Stratbase Group | Published: May 28, 2025
Reading Time: 5 minutes
As the country moves forward from the 2025 midterm elections, a survey conducted from May 2 to 6, 2025 with 1,800 registered voters and a margin of error of ±2% conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in partnership with the Stratbase Group, revealed what Filipinos expect from their incumbent and newly-elected leaders: a clear commitment to transparency and accountability was a top mandate from the people and also a strong focus on jobs, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and food security.
One of the key findings of the survey is that 93% believe that Vice President Sara Duterte must work to prioritize the country’s needs while 88% of respondents insists the Vice President must address the impeachment charges filed against her and answer all allegations pertaining to corruption to clear her name.
For many, this is not just a legal matter—it is a test of leadership and respect to the rule of law.
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“Accountability is not an option. It is foundational to public trust. Prominent leaders like the Vice President should look past politics and personal interests, and respond to the people’s call for transparency. It is about time for her to answer all the allegations filed against her,” Stratbase Group President Professor Dindo Manhit stressed.
“After all, it’s the Filipino people who our elected officials vowed to serve,” he added.
86% of the respondents would like Duterte to focus on implementing her own platforms and policies, 81% would want to continue her duties and stop politicizing, and 74% prefer her to stop criticizing the government and its initiatives.
“Filipinos want leadership that listens, leads with integrity, and stays focused on what matters most to ordinary citizens,” Manhit emphasized.
According to the survey as well, 84% of Filipinos look forward to better access to healthcare services, and 81% call for better food security and agricultural development.
Other top concerns that Filipinos expect to address are the development of infrastructure (80%), climate resilience and protection of natural resources (70%), national security and defense in the West Philippine Sea (67%), and the management of inflation (62%).
These six issues are what the Filipino people are hopeful for President Marcos Jr. and his administration to accomplish.
Manhit said the results indicate that while Filipinos remain hopeful, they are also more vigilant of the government’s fulfillment of their commitments.
“People are demanding that they want honest and effective leadership. There is growing awareness that progress in sectors like healthcare and infrastructure is not possible without good governance,” Manhit said.
For their part, the Senate and House of Representatives are expected to prioritize social programs that directly address the daily needs of Filipinos.
“Filipinos expect both Houses of Congress to direct public resources towards solutions that improve lives, which can be felt through quality jobs, just compensation, improved infrastructure, enhanced health facilities, accessible education, and stable and affordable food supply. These are not new calls, but what is different now is the louder clamor from the public for better governance,” Manhit noted.
The survey underscored that public confidence in national development, especially in the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is closely tied to how responsibly officials carry out their duties.
“There is an expectation that national policies will deliver on promises. But delivery must be anchored on governance that is principled and accountable,” Manhit emphasized.
“As Filipinos look ahead, they are not just calling for programs, they want and deserve a kind of leadership that puts the country first and commits to transparency,” he added.
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