SWS: Majority of Filipinos say gov’t response to COVID-19 was ‘adequate’

FILE PHOTO: A health worker conducts a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swab testing at a gymnasium in Navotas City, Metro Manila, Philippines, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The majority of Filipinos said the government’s response to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was “adequate,” according to findings of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released Saturday.

Results of the SWS National Mobile Phone Survey that was conducted from Sept. 17 to Sept. 20, showed that a majority consider the government’s actions to be “adequate” on three out of four areas that concern the pandemic.

The SWS said 71 percent of Filipinos consider the government’s action to “inform the public on how to fight COVID-19 was adequate.” Twenty-two percent said it was inadequate while 6 percent were undecided.

Meanwhile, 67 percent said the government’s response to conduct extensive contact tracing was adequate. Only 23 percent considered the government’s contact tracing response as inadequate while 9 percent said they could not decide.

Meanwhile, survey respondents have found the government’s affordable COVID-19 testing was adequate. Fifty-four percent said the affordable virus testing was insufficient while 11 percent were undecided.

The survey also found that 44 percent of those surveyed said the government’s aid to displaced workers was adequate. Meanwhile, 46 percent said it was inadequate while 9 percent could not decide.

The survey used “mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI)” of 1,249 Filipinos aged 18 years and above. Of the number, 309 are in Metro Manila, 328 in Balance Luzon, 300 in Visayas, and 312 in Mindanao.

SWS used a sampling error margin of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, ±5% for Balance Luzon, ±6% for the Visayas, and ±6% for Mindanao.

SWS asked the following questions in the interviews:

1. Paniniguro na mabigyan ng sapat na tulong ang mga taong nawalan ng trabaho/pinagkakakitaan dahil sa COVID-19 sa buong bansa [Ensuring the provision of adequate help to people who have lost their job/livelihood because of COVID-19 nationwide]
2. Paniniguro na ang publiko ay nakakakuha ng sapat na impormasyon kung paano labanan ang COVID-19 sa buong bansa [Ensuring that the public gets enough information on how to fight COVID-19 nationwide]
3. Paniniguro ng malawakang “contact tracing” o paghahanap ng mga taong nakasalamuha ng taong may COVID-19 sa buong bansa [Ensuring that there will be an extensive contact tracing of people who were in contact with persons with COVID-19 nationwide]
4. Paniniguro na may abot kayang COVID-19 testing sa buong bansa para sa mga taong nangangailangan nito [Ensuring that there is affordable COVID-19 testing nationwide for people who need it]

/MUF