Thirty years since the historic Edsa People Power revolution, about 76 percent or three in four Filipinos expressed satisfaction on how democracy in the Philippines works, the results of a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The results of the Dec. 5 to 8 survey were first published on BusinessWorld on Wednesday evening.
The respondents answered the question: “On the whole, are you (very satisfied; fairly satisfied; not very satisfied; not at all satisfied) with the way democracy works in the Philippines?”
SWS said that satisfaction with democracy has always been higher than 60 percent since June 2010, the time when President Benigno Aquino III, son of democracy icons former President Corazon Aquino and former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., took office.
READ: The future of Philippine democracy
It has reached a record-high of 80 percent in June 2013.
The survey also showed that 58 percent of the 1,200 respondents prefer democracy than any other form of government.
About 23 percent of respondents said that the form of government is immaterial while 18 percent said that “under some circumstances, an authoritarian government can be preferable to a democratic one.”
The survey has sampling error margins of ±3 points nationwide.
The Philippines is celebrating 30 years since the dictatorship of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos has been toppled.
In his speech on Wednesday, Aquino debunked some assertions that the martial law years can be considered as the country’s “golden age.”
READ: Aquino slams Marcos son, says martial law not PH’s ‘golden age’
He also urged voters to prevent the rise of the dictator’s namesake, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to the vice presidency. IDL