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January 24, 2026 | 9:20am
Multi-sectoral groups stage a protest rally against Charter change outside the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on March 20, 2024.
STAR / Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Improving or increasing workers’ wages and salaries topped the list of national concerns among adult Filipinos in the fourth quarter of 2025. according to the latest survey by OCTA Research.
Results of the recent Tugon ng Masa survey conducted by OCTA Research showed that 45% of respondents cited wages and salaries as among the most urgent issues that the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. must act on immediately.
Concern over wages cut across regions, with 47% of respondents in Balance Luzon and the Visayas identifying it as a top issue, followed by Mindanao at 42% and the National Capital Region at 41%.
OCTA said the spike in concern over wages in the fourth quarter marked its "steepest increase since March 2024."
"The share of adult Filipinos citing improving or increasing workers’ wages as an urgent national concern rose sharply in the Fourth Quarter (Q4) of 2025," OCTA said.
Other pressing national issues flagged by respondents included controlling the increase in prices of basic goods and services at 41%, access to affordable food such as rice, vegetables and meat at 30%, fighting graft and corruption in government at 29% and providing free quality education at 28%.
A breakdown by socioeconomic class showed varying priorities. Among Class ABC respondents, controlling the increase in prices of basic goods and services topped concerns at 45%, while 43% cited improving wages.
For Class D, improving wages ranked highest at 46%, followed by price control at 40%. Among Class E respondents, controlling price increases emerged as the top concern at 48%, while 42% cited improving wages. Access to affordable food was also more pronounced among Class E respondents at 37%.
The Tugon ng Masa survey was conducted from December 3 to 11, 2025 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos nationwide.
The survey has a margin of error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level, while subnational estimates for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao have a margin of error of ±6%.
