Filipinos have mixed opinions on gov’t statistics on COVID-19 cases, deaths — SWS

FILE: ROAD SHARING. Cyclists, motorcycle riders, and a woman in an electric scooter stay on their lanes as they ply along Aurora Boulevard cor. Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City. Bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters are among popular alternative modes of transport for workers and other authorized persons outside of residence amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. (PNA photo by Rico H. Borja)

Filipinos gave different views when asked about the accuracy of the government’s released data on coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases and deaths in the country, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest survey released on Thursday, October 29.

The result of the survey, where 1,249 adult Filipinos nationwide were respondents, showed that 39 percent of Filipinos said the government’s count on Covid-19 cases was “probably more than the real number” or “probably over-reported,” while 23 percent said it was “probably right.”

Meanwhile, 31 percent said the reported tally was “probably less than the real number” or “probably under-reported.”

Metro Manila has the lowest number of Filipinos, with only 14 percent, who think that the number of Covid-19 cases reported by the government was probably right. Those who believe in the accuracy of the government’s tally was seen highest in Mindanao with 31 percent, followed by Visayas with 24 percent, and 23 percent in Balance Luzon.

In terms of the reported number of Covid-19-related deaths, 34 percent of Filipinos said the government’s death count was “probably over-reported,” 27 percent said it was “probably right,” and 34 percent said it was “probably under-reported.”

Metro Manila still has the least number of Filipinos who believe in the accuracy of the reported number of Covid-19 deaths with only 20 percent, followed by Mindanao and Visayas with 29 percent each, and Balance Luzon with 26 percent.

Confidence in the accuracy of the government’s data on Covid-19 cases was less among college graduates with only 18 percent and junior high school graduates with 22 percent than among non-elementary graduates with 26 percent and elementary graduates with 31 percent.

The pollster, however, said the percentage of Filipinos who think that the government’s Covid-19 deaths tally was probably correct “has no clear pattern by education,” noting that it was 21 percent among non-elementary graduates, 23 percent among college graduates, 26 percent among junior high school graduates, and 31 percent among elementary graduates.

The probability-based survey was conducted using a mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and has a sampling error margin of plus-minus three percent for national percentages, plus-minus six percent for Metro Manila, plus-minus five percent for Balance Luzon, plus-minus six percent for Visayas, and plus-minus six percent for Mindanao.

Also on Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported that the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country has reached 376,935, while the number of deaths climbed to 7,147, after it recorded 1,761 new cases and 33 new deaths.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier placed Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Tacloban City, Iligan City and Lanao del Sur under general community quarantine (GCQ) for another month, starting from November 1 to 30.

“Palagay ko naman sa inyo man rin itong kapakanan (I think this is for your welfare). Look, we are not here to make your life miserable or sad. We are here to make your life comfortable and to make you happy,” the Chief Executive said in his public address on Monday.