Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos want the newly composed Senate to prioritize reforms on education in the upcoming 20th Congress, the latest survey by Stratbase and Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The survey conducted on May 2-6 asked respondents which issues the upper chamber must prioritize after the midterm elections, which was conducted last May 12.
A large number of respondents said that the Senate should definitely prioritize improving accessibility of education by strengthening the public education system, distribution of scholarships, and expansion of vocational training programs.
A recent study by the Philippine Statistics Authority found that 5.58 million Filipinos who have at least graduated junior high school are considered functionally illiterate.
The SWS poll also showed that 83% believe that senators must support agricultural development with subsidies, training, and market access for farmers to boost food security.
There were 82% who said that the Senate must prioritize investing in healthcare systems and 79% said that senators should push for expanding social welfare programs for low-income families.
Further, 74% of the respondents are expecting the upper chamber to deal with the calls to increase the minimum wage and 73% said that promoting job creation must definitely be prioritized.
The survey showed that 71% agree that senators should work on the implementation of price control measures to stabilize the cost of essential goods and services. There were 67% who said that the Senate must strengthen governance reforms to ensure transparency and accountability in government’s spending.
The survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group was done through face-to-face interviews of 1,8000 registered voters (aged 18 years and above) nationwide: 300 in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao.
The sampling error margins are ±2.31% for national percentages, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News
