Filipinos divided on accuracy of gov’t COVID-19 data

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos are divided on the accuracy of the government’s data on COVID-19 cases, a recent survey of Social Weather Stations revealed Thursday.

Of the 1,249 surveyed, 39% believed that the cases are probably more than the number reported while 31% believe it is less than the real number.

Only 23% of Filipinos believe that government reports on COVID-19 positive cases is “probably right,” the results of the survey showed.

SWS said there is also no consensus on the accuracy of the number of COVID-19 deaths being reported, with 34% saying it is “probably over-reported”, 27% saying it is “probably right”, and 34% saying it is “probably under-reported.”

The doubt in government reported data on COVID-19 is highest in Metro Manila and lowest in Mindanao. According to SWS, only 14% in Metro Manila believe that the COVID-19 positive cases reported by the government are probably right.

Meanwhile, 31% in Mindanao believe that the government data is accurate, 24% in Visayas, and 23% in Balance Luzon.

The SWS conducted the probability-survey on September 17 to 20 using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Of the 1,249 adults, 309 were surveyed in Metro Manila, 328 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 312 in Mindanao.

The survey has a sampling error of ±3% for national percentages.

As of Oct. 28, the Philippines has 375,180 COVID-19 cases, 329,111 recoveries and 7,114 deaths.

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