Pinoys’ main concerns are job security, health – survey

By Ted P. Torres
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Philippine Star

More Filipinos are expressing concerns on job security, migration and healthcare as they increasingly reduce attention on political and economic issues, a global online survey indicated.

In an Internet-based survey conducted by Nielsen, a leading market research firm offering customized research, retail measurements, consumer panel service and media measurement research, it said 47 percent of Filipinos polled expressed concerns over job security, slightly higher than the 45 percent covering the first semester of 2007.

In addition, healthcare concerns have increased from 23 percent in the second half of 2006 to 42 percent in the second semester of 2007.

The survey added that another critical issue showed that Filipinos led the global list with regards to migration issues.

However, Nielsen Phils. managing director Benedicto L. Cid Jr. said this could directly be related to job security concerns and overseas employment.

“Filipinos are still looking outside for more job opportunities and security elsewhere,” he said.

Compared with the Asia Pacific regional average of two percent, the Philippines registered an average of 10 percent of total respondents, with New Zealand coming in second over the issue of migration with six percent.

The Nielsen survey also showed that Filipinos are increasingly optimistic about job prospects.The Philippines got a plus six in optimism rating versus the extreme rating of minus 11 for job optimism in Japan.

The survey also reflected that concerns over the economy has consistently waned, which likely indicates that those surveyed feel that the economy is improving.

In the period July to Dec. 2006, 68 percent of those surveyed expressed concern over the economy. By the last semester of 2007, only 39 percent were looking at the economy as a major concern, the survey said.

In the past five readings of the survey starting the second half of 2005, the Philippine consumer confidence index has been improving from a rating of 93 points in 2005 to 108 in the last semester in 2007. The global average last year is 94 points.

One specific portion of the survey showed that there is an increasing interest in putting spare or surplus cash in savings. The Philippines got a survey level of 64 percent covering the last half of 2007 from 57 in the same period in 2006, ranking it third overall among all the countries covered by the survey.

After savings, the second highest priority of Filipinos with extra cash is the purchase of new clothing, followed By the acquisition of new technology such as mobile phones and laptops. The fourth priority is paying off of debts including credit cards and bank loans, followed by home improvements and decoration.