Candidates, beware; Filipinos want stable jobs, food security

With the May 12 midterm elections just on the horizon, the Filipino electorate has made clear what they look for from candidates running for elective posts.

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They want stable jobs and food security—employment that can support their families and food supply they can depend on.

In the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, commissioned by the Stratbase, 93 percent of Filipinos say they will vote for candidates who prioritize increasing job opportunities and ensuring food security. These are survival instincts in the country still reeling from pandemic aftershocks, inflationary pressure, and extreme climate events. They echo the sound of millions of stomachs growling, the concerns of parents lying awake till late in the night wondering what to eat the next day and how to pay their monthly bills, the cries of farmers watching their crops wither under a punishing sun or drown in unseasonal rains.