Majority of Pinoys say gov’t response vs. virus ‘adequate’

FILE: Market-goers with umbrellas walk in the vicinity of the Blumentritt Market near the Light Rail Transit 1 (LRT-1) station in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Wednesday (Oct. 14, 2020). (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros)

MANILA – Majority of Filipinos said the government’s response against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is “adequate”, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The SWS national mobile phone survey conducted from Sept. 17 to 20 showed that 71 percent of the Filipinos replied that the government actions to inform the public on how to fight Covid-19 are adequate with 34 percent of them answered “very adequate”.

The pollster said 22 percent of the 1,249 interviewed adult Filipinos found the government actions “inadequate” while only 6 percent are undecided.

“This gives a net adequacy scored of +49,” the SWS said in survey results released Saturday night.

By area, net adequacy is higher in Mindanao (+52) and the Visayas (+51) than in Balance Luzon (+47) and Metro Manila (+45), it added.

On ensuring that there will be an extensive contact tracing, the SWS said 67 percent appreciated the government actions as adequate while 23 percent said it is inadequate and 9 percent were undecided.

The government actions to ensure that the affordable Covid-19 testing is adequate got 54 percent approval while 33 percent found them inadequate and 11 percent undecided.

Meanwhile, the government actions to provide help to the jobless received the lower score after only 44 percent of the respondents found them adequate and 46 percent said they are inadequate and 9 percent undecided.

“This gives a net adequacy score of -2 (% adequate minus % inadequate). By area, net adequacy is lowest in Metro Manila (-15), followed by Balance Luzon (-2), Mindanao (-1), and the Visayas (+4),” the SWS said.