AMID discussions if the Luzon-wide lockdown would be extended, partially lifted or totally lifted, eight of 10 Filipinos or 86 percent said they are willing to sacrifice their rights if it would help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVOD-19), an international polling firm said.
Gallup International Association also found that 89 percent of the respondents from the Philippines were fearful that they or a member of their families would contract the virus.
The survey was held from April 3 to 10 and involved 867 respondents from the Philippines. The Philippine poll was part of the second wave of surveys that was participated in by 18 countries that involved 17,789 respondents and had a margin of error of ±3.5 percent. The first survey was held last March and involved 26 countries with 22,000 respondents
Gallup International, through its partner Philippine Survey and Research Center Inc., used an online method to conduct the survey in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, 86 percent said they agree with the statement that they are willing to sacrifice their human rights if it would help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (58 percent strongly agree, 28 percent agree) while 12 percent disagree (composed of 8 percent who disagree, 4 percent strongly disagree) and two percent do not know or refused to answer.
The polls also found that 89 percent of Filipinos (72 percent strongly agree, 17percent agree) are afraid that they or a member of their family would contract the virus while 11 percent disagree (composed of 6 percent who disagree, 5 percent strongly disagree) and one percent do not know or refused to answer.
Two percent of the respondents said they or a member of their family had been sick with the virus while 98 percent said neither they nor any member of their family had been sick.
The survey said 80 percent of the respondents from the Philippines also said that government is handling the COVID-19 situation well (34 percent strongly agree, 46 percent agree) while 19 percent disagree (composed of 14 percent who disagree, 5 percent strongly disagree) and two percent do not know or refused to answer.
It also found 82 percent said “no, democracy is not effective under a crisis” while 18 percent said “yes, democracy is not effective under a crisis.”
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Malacañang welcomed the high ratings the Philippines got in terms of government’s handling of the situation.
The Philippines has been under enhanced community quarantine since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lockdown is supposed to end on April 30 but authorities are still determining if the ECQ would be lifted, maintained, or partially lifted.
Fifty percent of the Philippine respondents believed that the threats from the virus is exaggerated (24 percent strongly agree, 26 percent agree) while 47 percent disagree (composed of 24 percent who disagree, 23 percent strongly disagree) and two percent do not know or refused to answer.
Three of 10 or 30 percent of the Philippine respondents believed that the that world will not return to its pre-COVID crisis level while 60 percent said major changes would happen and result in an “almost entirely new world.” Eight percent do not know or refused to answer.
The survey also found that 34 percent of the respondents from the Philippines lost their jobs due to the crisis while 55 percent said they had temporarily stopped working and 20 percent said they were still able to work part time. It also found that 46 percent had lost a “serious part of income” due to the COVID-19.