Corruption tops Filipinos' SONA 2026 wishlist — Pulse Asia

MANILA, Philippines — Corruption — and what the government is doing to hold flood control benefactors accountable — is what Filipinos most want to hear from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 24, according to a new Pulse Asia survey. 

Nearly three in 10 adults, or 29.8%, named corruption as the top issue they want Marcos to tackle in his fifth and penultimate SONA, ahead of all other concerns, based on the open-ended survey released Friday, July 24.

Of those who want to hear about corruption, at least 18.9% said they want Marcos to discuss efforts to investigate and hold accountable those involved in the flood control projects scandal, according to the poll. Another 10.9% cited anti-corruption initiatives in general.

The survey was conducted from June 28 to July 6 among 2,400 adults. 

Weeks before the survey period, the Sandiganbayan ordered Sen. Jinggoy Estrada arrested for plunder over allegations he pocketed kickbacks from flood control works. 

Monday's speech marks a full year since Marcos himself lit the fuse that jumpstarted investigations into anomalies in public works. In his July 2025 SONA, Marcos admitted many flood control projects were substandard or mere "figments of imagination" and ordered a probe, vowing to run after those responsible. 

Prices a close second

Affordable basic goods came in second at 18.7%, followed by jobs and livelihood opportunities at 6.6%, poverty at 6.2% and illegal drugs at 5.5%.

Low wages (5.1%), high fuel prices (4.9%) and agricultural issues (4%) rounded out the list of top concerns. The impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, whose Senate trial opened on July 6, barely registered at 1.2%.

Corruption led in Metro Manila (35%), the rest of Luzon (32.7%) and Mindanao (29.7%), and among Classes ABC (42.1%) and D (29.6%).

In Class E, affordable goods topped the list at 23.8%, followed by poverty at 15.9%, with corruption third at 13.8%. In the Visayas, cheap basic commodities (22.7%) also edged out corruption (19.3%).

Pulse Asia also found that 81% of Filipino adults are aware of Marcos' past SONAs, statistically unchanged from 78% in June 2025. Awareness was highest in Metro Manila at 90% and among Class ABC at 89%.