Majority of Filipinos believe staying home during COVID-19 ”worth it”: SWS

June 4, 2020

More Filipinos believed staying at home during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis is “worth it” to protect  people and limit the spread of the virus, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Thursday.

SWS said 84 percent believed it is worth to stay at home while 15 percent believe it is just “placing many burdens” to people and one percent volunteered it is worth it even if it causes  burden.

Of the 4, 010 Filipinos who took part in their mobile survey, 86 percent of women and 82 percent of men said the strict stay-at-home measures are worth it.

Also, 84 to 86 percent of those aged 18 to 44 believe that the strict stay-at-home measures are worth it. For comparison, 82 to 83 percent of those aged 15 to 17 and 45 above believe the same.

The survey showing that strict stay-at-home measures are worth it is slightly higher in Metro Manila at 84 percent, Balance Luzon and Visayas at 84 percent, compared to Mindanao at 81 percent.

“(Responses) are equally high in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) at 84 percent and General Community Quarantine (GCQ) at 83 percent,” SWS said.

Responses on strict stay-at-home measures is highest among the college educated, with 88 percent.

It is 83 percent among high school graduates, 77 percent among those who reached junior high school and 75 percent among non-elementary graduates.

The SWS COVID-19 Mobile Survey was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) last May 4-10.

The ECQ and GCQ area classification cited in the survey is based on Executive Order 112, which had the following areas under ECQ up to May 15.

Areas under ECQ during the time of survey were NCR, Region III (except Aurora Province), Region IV-A, Benguet Province, Pangasinan Province, Iloilo Province, Cebu Province, Bacolod City, and Davao City. All other areas were classified under GCQ.

SWS said the survey was not commissioned  and released as a public service. Ella Dionisio/DMS