FORTY-ONE percent of respondents surveyed by the “Sukat ng Bayan” Q1 National Online Survey conducted on March 13-24, 2021, are dissatisfied with the way the Department of Health (DOH) is handling the Covid-19 crisis.
The same survey showed nearly three-fourths of respondents listing livelihood as their most pressing concern at the moment, followed by food, connectivity and gadget problems in education, vaccines and health, though less than half of Metro Manilla respondents were willing to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
And, on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best, only a fifth or 21 percent of respondents gave 10 to the administration for its pandemic response.
In the noncommissioned survey of 2,000 respondents done by iOptions Ventures Corp., only 39 percent are satisfied with the Covid response of the DOH while 20 percent “can’t say” if they are satisfied or dissatisfied.
Meanwhile, the National Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) earned a slightly higher satisfaction rating (45 percent); 31 percent were dissatisfied while 24 percent can’t say how they felt of the task force performance.
For the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF), the results were 43 percent (satisfied), 28 percent (dissatisfied), 28 percent (can’t say);
Department of the Interior and Local Government, 37 percent (satisfied), 36 percent (can’t say), 27 percent (dissatisfied);
Department of Labor and Employment, 33 percent (satisfied), 35 percent (can’t say), 32 percent (dissatisfied);
Department of Social Welfare and Development, 43 percent (satisfied), 25 percent (can’t say), 32 percent (dissatisfied);
Department of Trade and Industry, 30 percent (satisfied), 42 can’t say), 28 percent (dissatisfied);
Department of Transportation (DOTr), 32 percent (satisfied), 38 percent (30 percent), 30 percent (dissatisfied);
For Provincial Governments, excluding respondents from National Capital Region (NCR), 51 percent (satisfied), 27 percent (can’t say), 22 percent (dissatisfied); and for City or Municipal Governments, 51 percent (satisfied), 24 percent (can’t say), 25 percent (dissatisfied).
3 cities top-rated
There was a big difference, for obvious reasons, in the percentage of respondents who said they were happy pre-pandemic (67 percent) and during the pandemic (16 percent). Eleven percent said they were sad before the pandemic; while 70 percent said they are sad at this moment.
For local governments in the NCR, three cities received an over 50-percent satisfaction rate for their Covid response.
These are: Pasig City (70 percent satisfied, 17 percent can’t say, 13 percent dissatisfied); Manila: 67 percent ( satisfied), 17 percent (can’t say), 17 percent (dissatisfied); Mandaluyong City: 51 percent are satisfied, 32 percent (can’t say), 17 percent (dissatisfied).
Forty-five percent of Quezon City respondents are satisfied, 25 percent can’t say, 31 percent are dissatisfied; For Caloocan City: 39 percent (satisfied,) 31 percent (can’t say), 31 percent (dissatisfied);
For select provinces, only Batangas and Cebu received over 50-percent satisfaction rate. In Batangas 65 percent are satisfied, 22 percent can’t say, 14 percent are dissatisfied; while Cebu got 54 percent (satisfied), 26 percent (can’t say) and 19 percent (dissatisfied).
Current concerns
The noncommissioned, latest online survey asked 2,000 Filipinos about their current disposition, perceptions on the current political and governance landscape, Covid concerns and other timely issues. The pollster said the results cannot be construed as representative of the Philippine population since the study employed convenience (nonrepresentative) sampling.
Asked to pick a maximum of five issues they consider their most pressing concerns at the moment, 73 percent listed livelihood. The next top four concerns are: food (62 percent); education (lack of gadgets and internet connection), 60 percent; vaccine (52 percent); and health (50 percent).
While “vaccine” was listed by 52 percent, in a separate query in the survey, only 33 percent categorically wanted to be vaccinated; 50 percent cannot say yet; and 18 percent are not willing. In the NCR, where much of the surge is happening, only 42 percent checked “willing” to be vaccinated and 47 percent ticked “not willing.”
On other current issues, there was a remarkable appreciation for climate change issues, with 92 percent saying they were aware; 92 percent saying the Philippines is affected by climate change; 86 percent saying climate change is bad for the environment and for people’s livelihood; and 82 percent saying the government response to climate change is important.
Awareness, trust, satisfaction
Meanwhile, in the same survey, President Duterte earned a 92-percent awareness rating, while Vice President Leni Robredo got 81 percent.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso got a higher rating than Robredo, with 87 percent.
Senator Manny Pacquiao got 87 percent; Senator Christopher “Bong” Go (83 percent); Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio (80 percent); PNP Chief Debold Sinas (75 percent); Senate President Vicente Sotto III (70 percent); House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (48 percent); Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta , who just recently retired got 30 percent; and AFP Chief Cirilito Sobejana (28 percent);
Meanwhile, 62 percent of the respondents said they are satisfied with the performance of Duterte while for Robredo, it was 25 percent; Domagoso (80 percent); Pacquiao (64 percent); Go and Duterte-Carpio both received 50 percent; Sotto 42 (percent); Sen. Grace Poe (38 percent); Sen. Ping Lacson (35 percent); Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (33 percent); Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (27 percent); Velasco (22 percent); Sobejana (19 percent); Peralta and Sinas (18 percent).
Duterte’s trust rating is 74 percent while Robredo’s is 31 percent.
Domagoso leads
In a separate question tracking awareness of possible presidential candidates in 2022 and whether they would vote for them, Domagoso again topped the poll, with 87 percent awareness and 32 percent responses.
He was followed by Duterte-Carpio (16 percent responses with 80 percent awareness); Bongbong Marcos (11 percent response, 76 awareness); Pacquaio (10 percent response, 87 awareness); Robredo (7 percent responses, 81 percent awareness); Go (4 percent responses, 83 percent awareness); Poe (4 percent responses, 65 percent awareness); Chiz Escudero (2 percent responses, 62 percent awareness); Lacson (1 percent, 69 percent); and Cayetano (1 percent, 70 percent).
Image credits: AP/Aaron Favila