Bribery is the form of corruption most often cited by Filipinos, based on the latest Tugon ng Masa survey conducted by OCTA Research for the Office of the Ombudsman.
The nationwide poll, carried out from December 3 to 11, 2025, found that 73% of adult respondents consider bribery the most common corrupt practice in the country.
“Seventy-three percent (73%) of adult Filipinos identify bribery as the most common type of corruption, followed by irregularities in the use of public funds (66%), vote buying (64%), and slow justice (54%),” the survey said.
“These four types consistently appear across regions and socioeconomic groups, underscoring the broad and structural nature of corruption concerns in the country,” it added.
Public concern varies by location. In parts of Luzon and the Visayas, more respondents placed irregularities in the use of public funds above other issues.
In some areas of Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, vote buying was cited more frequently, which the report said may be shaped by local political conditions.
Bribery, however, topped the list across all income levels.
“The prominence of bribery may reflect its visibility in routine transactions with government offices. Many Filipinos may have directly encountered or observed informal payments in frontline services, making it the most immediate and recognizable form of corruption,” OCTA Research said.
Among higher-income respondents or those in class ABC, concerns tended to focus on misuse of public funds and procurement issues.
Class D respondents showed a comparable pattern, though vote buying ranked above slow justice. For class E respondents, vote buying and delays in the justice system stood out more strongly.
The report noted that curbing corruption may require sweeping institutional reforms, including stronger oversight, clearer procedures and expanded digital systems.
It also pointed to the need for measures that respond to risks specific to certain regions and communities.
“Overall, the results underscore that effective anti-corruption strategies must address both institutional structures and lived public experiences, ensuring reforms are responsive to the everyday realities identified by respondents,” the report reads.
The survey covered 1,200 respondents nationwide through face-to-face interviews and carries a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
