SWS finds: 41% of Pinoys are internet users

The latest survey also showed that college graduates have the highest internet use at 73 percent, followed by high school graduates at 56 percent, elementary graduated at 26 percent, and non-elementary school graduates at nine percent. (Photo: Glenn Carstens-Peters/Unsplash)

Almost half of adult Filipinos are surfing the internet nowadays, the latest survey of Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed on Tuesday, December 4.

In its Third Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey, the pollster asked its 1,500 survey respondents, “Kayo po ba ay nag-oonline upang makapag-internet o makapagpadala o makatanggap ng mga email (Do you ever go online to access the internet or send and receive email)?”

Responding to this, 41 percent answered in the affirmative. This is one-point higher than the figure recorded in June 2018.

The SWS noted that, in terms of areas, Metro Manila remains to have the highest rate of internet use. From 60 percent in June 2018, it said the proportion of internet users there climbed to 64 percent.

Aside from Metro Manila, internet use in Balance Luzon also set a new record-high 47 percent, beating its previous record of 43 percent.

Internet use in Visayas and Mindanao, however, fell by nine points and two points, respectively.

“The proportion of Internet users has always been higher in urban areas, at 54% in September (up by 1 point from 53% in June), compared to rural areas, at 31% in September (up by 3 points from 28% in June),” it said.

The SWS also revealed that in terms of gender, there are many internet users who are women, which is at 42 percent, compared to men that only obtained 40 percent.

It added that internet use continues to be the highest among the youngsters, particularly in the age bracket of 18-24 years old at 81 percent. It was followed by 25-34 years old at 65 percent, then by 35-44 years old at 44 percent, 45-54 years old at 27 percent, and lastly, by 55 years old and above at 12 percent.

The latest survey also showed that college graduates have the highest internet use at 73 percent, followed by high school graduates at 56 percent, elementary graduates at 26 percent, and non-elementary school graduates at nine percent.

In conducting this survey last September 15-23, the pollster used face-to-face interviews to its respondents whose age ranges from 18 years old and above nationwide.