More Filipinos worry about Duterte’s health in Q4 2018 — SWS

Updated (8:20 p.m.)

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipino adults worry about President Rodrigo Duterte’s health problems in the fourth quarter of 2018, Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported on Wednesday.

In a survey conducted from Dec. 16 to 18, 2018, SWS said 66 percent of Filipinos were worried about the President’s health, up 11 points from the 55 percent who reported the same in the September 2018 survey.

READ: SWS: Majority of Pinoys worry about Duterte health

Twenty-two percent of this number said they were worried  a “great deal” while 44 percent were just somewhat worried about the Duterte’s health.

However, the December 2018 survey also showed that 34 percent of poll respondents were not worried, 16 percent were somewhat not worried, and 18 percent were not worried at all about Duterte’s health.

The pollster also found that more Filipinos believe that Duterte has health problems (49 percent) while 24 percent saying they do not believe that. Some 20 percent were undecided.

This is a 6-point increase from September 2018’s survey result, with 45 percent saying then that they believe and 26 percent do not believe that Duterte has health issues.

Meanwhile, SWS said Filipinos who are worried about Duterte’s health had the highest percentage in Mindanao (73 percent), followed by  Metro Manila (66 percent), isayas (66 percent) ; and  Balance Luzon (63 percent).

The SWS conducted nationwide interviews with 1,440 adults aged 18 years and above. Of the number, 360 each were from Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The survey had a sampling error margins of ±2.6 percent for national percentages, and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The SWS question was “Gaano po kayo naniniwala o hindi naniniwala na mayroon [Duterte] siyang mga problema sa kalusugan? Masasabi po ba ninyo na kayo ay lubos na naniniwala, Medyo naniniwala, Hindi tiyak kung naniniwala o hindi, Medyo hindi naniniwala, Lubos na hindi naniniwala)?”

(How much do you believe or do not believe that he [Duterte] has health problems? Can you say that you really believe, somewhat believe, not sure whether you believe or not, somewhat do not believe, or do not completely believe?) /ee