PHOTO from SWS
MANILA, Philippines — Eighty-seven percent of Filipinos preferred that bicycles and public transportation be prioritized over private vehicles, according to a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Friday.
In a November 2020 poll, SWS also found that six percent of Filipinos disagree while seven percent were undecided on prioritization of public transport, bicycles and pedestrians over private vehicles, in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, with workers perennially faced with the challenge of finding means of transportation to get to their places of work without breaching the minimum health protocols set by the government.
The poll, which was also sponsored by the Department of Health (DOH), showed that 85 percent Filipinos believed that their city or municipality will “become a great place for cycling and walking.” However, eight percent disagreed and seven percent were undecided on the matter.
“Net agreement that ‘it is possible for my city/municipality to become a great place for walking and cycling’ is very strong in all basic demographics… (and that) ‘the roads in Philippine cities and municipalities will be better off if public transportation, bicycles, and pedestrians are given priority over private vehicles’ is also very strong across the board,” SWS said.
The survey used interviews of 1,500 Filipinos nationwide aged 18 years old and above. Of the number, 600 were in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The sampling error margins used are “±2.5% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.”
The pollster asked the following questions for the survey: “Gaano po kayo sumasang-ayon o hindi sumasang-ayon sa pangungusap na ito: ‘Posible para sa aking lungsod o munisipalidad na maging isang magandang lugar para sa paglalakad at pagbibisikleta?’”
(How much do you agree or disagree with this statement: ‘‘It is possible for my city or municipality to become a great place for walking and cycling”? )
“Gaano po kayo sumasang-ayon o hindi sumasang-ayon sa pangungusap na ito: ‘Ang mga kalsada sa mga lungsod at munisipalidad ng Pilipinas ay mas magiging maayos kung mas bibigyan ng prayoridad ang mga pampublikong transportasyon, mga bisikleta at pedestrian kaysa sa mga pribadong sasakyan?’”
(How much do you agree or disagree with this statement: “Roads in Philippine cities and municipalities will be better off if public transportation, bicycles and pedestrians are given priority over private vehicles”? )