Voters favor bets pushing for jobs, food security – Social Weather Stations

MANILA, Philippines — Nine in 10 Filipino voters said they will support candidates who advocate for job generation, food security, quality health care, equal access to education and the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFW), a recent survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The Jan. 17 to 20 survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, found that 94 percent of the respondents would support candidates who advocate for increasing job opportunities and the development of agriculture and ensuring food security.

Candidates campaigning on the strengthening of the health care system received the support of 93 percent of the respondents, while 92 percent will support those campaigning for equal access to education and another 92 percent for workers’ rights and the welfare of OFWs.

Other issues that have strong support among respondents were reducing poverty and hunger (87 percent), addressing impacts of climate change (87 percent), controlling prices of basic goods and commodities (85 percent), defending national security and sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (83 percent) and achievement of energy security and the use of renewable energy (82 percent).

These were followed by fighting illegal drugs (79 percent), electoral reform (79 percent) and eradicating graft and corruption (70 percent).

A smaller percentage of respondents – 59 percent – said they would vote for candidates who support the enactment of a law against political dynasty.

One in four or 25 percent said they will not support such candidates, while the remaining 12 percent said the issue had no effect on their vote.

Four other issues were more divisive: divorce (50 percent voting for, 35 percent not voting for), legalization of marijuana for people with serious illness (35 percent voting for, 52 percent not voting for), civil union for members of LGBTQIA+ community (34 percent voting for, 49 percent not voting for) and legalization of abortion for women who are victims of rape or incest (22 percent voting for, 69 percent not voting for).

The survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus two percent.