Gen Z, Millennials Most Angry: 60% Of Pinoys Outraged Over Infrastructure Corruption – OCTA

Most Filipinos were angry and outraged over issues of corruption in government infrastructure projects, according to a recent survey conducted by the OCTA Research group.

Results of the Sept. 25 to 30 survey released on Tuesday, Oct. 14, showed that 60 percent of the respondents selected anger or outrage as the primary emotion that best described their reaction to the issue.

Another 30 percent said they were fearful or anxious, while nine percent selected sadness or sorrow.

Only one percent said they felt hope or optimism as various government agencies start their investigation on the alleged anomalies involving ranking government officials.

In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, OCTA president Ranjit Rye said the findings showed a “clear, uncompromising public mandate for justice, accountability and institutional reform.”

“People are angry and expect real action. They want corrupt officials and contractors jailed and public funds recovered,” he said.

Rye noted that the strongest anger came from Gen Z and millennial respondents, who make up a large portion of the voting population.

“Outrage and anger are powerful emotions, and this could accelerate the development of strong social movements,” he said, adding that the sentiment could influence the country’s political landscape in 2028. Rye emphasized that the public expects “serious, not performative” action.

“The President started this. People appreciate it, but he must go full force and follow through with reforms and accountability,” he said.

He also warned that failure to act decisively could deepen public distrust in government, saying that “if nobody is jailed, distrust for government will rise and that will affect its legitimacy.”

Rye said corruption ranked among the top five national issues for the first time in four years, alongside inflation, wages, food access, jobs and poverty. “We’re at a critical juncture. People are demanding real change,” he said.

Palace: Calm down

Malacañang, for its part, has urged the public to remain calm in demanding accountability.

“Calm down. This cannot be done hastily,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing when asked to comment on public demand for accountability, based on the OCTA poll.

Castro urged Filipinos to allow the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to complete its work.

Based on the OCTA survey, 83 percent of the respondents agreed to President Marcos’ decision to publicly expose corruption in infrastructure projects.

Only three percent disagreed with his move, while 13 percent were undecided on the issue.

The respondents were also asked which institutions or groups they feel is in the best position to conduct the investigation.

Almost half or 46 percent said it should be an independent commission composed of individuals from the private sector, such as the ICI created by the President.

Twenty-three percent of the respondents backed the Senate investigation, while 13 percent selected the one undertaken by the House of Representatives. Another eight percent said it’s the Department of Public Works and Highways that should conduct an investigation.

Most respondents expect accountability, jail time and institutional reform as the outcome of the flood control investigations.

The top five preferred outcomes, OCTA said, are holding corrupt officials and contractors accountable (68 percent), recovery of lost or misused public funds (58 percent), imprisonment of those proven guilty (58 percent), ensuring efficient implementation of quality flood control projects (41 percent) and strengthening transparency and monitoring of government infrastructure projects (34 percent).

The total exceeded 100 percent as the respondents were allowed to select multiple responses.

Other desired outcomes were faster completion of government infrastructure projects (27 percent), restoration of public trust in the government (24 percent) and reform in bidding and procurement processes (13 percent).

The survey had 1,200 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent. – With Mark Ernest Villeza, Helen Flores, Neil Jayson Servallos