High prices affect 9 in 10 Pinoys – Pulse poll

About nine in 10 Filipinos have been “strongly” affected by the increase in the prices of basic commodities in the past three months, a recent Pulse Asia survey showed.

The poll, which was fielded from March 23 to 28, showed 86 percent of adult Filipinos saying they were “strongly affected” by the rise in prices of basic goods.

This was the prevailing sentiment in each geographic area and socio-economic grouping – 83 percent to 92 percent and 80 percent to 88 percent,

respectively, according to Pulse Asia.

Meanwhile, 13 percent of Filipinos claimed they are “somewhat” affected by such price increases, with five percent to 17 percent and 12 percent to 19 percent across geographic areas and socioeconomic groupings reporting the same.

Only one percent of Filipinos are not at all affected by the increase in the prices of basic commodities, the pollster said.

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 representative adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.

Pulse Asia said nearly all Filipinos (98 percent) reported price increases in items they commonly purchase since January this year, with most of them identifying food and beverages as the items they purchase which are most affected by such price increases.

Essentially the same figures are recorded across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes – 97 percent to 99 percent and 96 percent to 98 percent, respectively.

In terms of the specific items whose prices have increased in the previous quarter, the most often cited ones are food (92 percent), more particularly rice (81 percent) and non-rice items (67 percent), and sugar-sweetened beverages such as juice or soft drinks (56 percent). Other commodities mentioned are electricity (30 percent), transportation-related items (22 percent) which are gasoline/ diesel (16 percent) and transportation fare (seven percent), liquefied petroleum gas (12 percent), medicine and other healthrelated needs (nine percent), cigarettes (five percent), alcoholic drinks (four percent), cellphone load (three percent), water (two percent) and recreation-related expenses (one percent).

The country’s inflation rate increased to 4.3 percent in March, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Some attributed the increase in prices of basic commodities to the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law, which was implemented in January.

TRAIN imposes higher excise taxes on fuel products, cars, tobacco and SSBs. It, however, also increased the tax-free cap of 13th month pay and other bonuses to P90,000, as well as the tax income exemption to P250,000.

Fifty percent of Filipinos said controlling inflation is one of the “most urgent” national concerns the Duterte government should address based on a Pulse Asia survey released last Monday.

The top urgent national concern is “increasing the pay of workers.”