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Filipinos are the most disapproving of their government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Southeast Asia, a poll revealed Wednesday.
In a poll conducted by the Singapore-based Center for ASEAN Studies, 53.7 percent of its Filipino respondents were not in favor of the Duterte administration’s response to the current health crisis.
The 53.7 percent consists of the 17.9 percent who said they “strongly disapprove” and the 35.8 percent who said they “disapprove” of the way the government is handling the pandemic.
Another 20.9 percent were neutral on the issue, while 19.4 percent “approved.”
Only 6.0 percent said they “strongly approved” the measures and actions taken by the government to stop the spread of the disease, which has so far claimed 11,401 lives in the Philippines.
Indonesia followed with a 50.4 percent disapproval to 24.1 percent approval and 25.6 percent neutral.
Vietnam, for its part, had the highest approval rating in the region with 96.6 percent, followed by Brunei with 93.9 percent and Singapore with 92.4 percent.
Investigation and development
A large majority of Filipinos who took the survey, or 72.2 percent, said that more scientists and physicians need to be encouraged to “contribute to public policy discussions” and that the government “heed their advice.” .
About 58.3 percent said the government should invest in early warning systems for pandemic outbreaks, as well as research and development for virus testing and vaccine development.
Furthermore, 33.3 percent said that the government should offer better financial relief and subsidies to citizens economically affected by the health crisis, while 30.6 percent said that politicians and public servants should “observe the public health measures, rather than scoffing at them. “
5.6 percent also said the government should better implement public health measures, such as social distancing and the use of face masks.
Leadership rating
Overall, 32.7 percent of respondents from Southeast Asia chose Singapore as the country that has provided the best leadership to ASEAN when it comes to handling the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by Vietnam with 31, 1 percent.
Only 0.5 percent of all respondents chose the Philippines on this topic.
Furthermore, the health crisis also became the main challenge that respondents believe the region faces, followed by unemployment and the economic recession and widening socioeconomic gaps and growing income disparity.
For Filipino respondents, 80.6 percent said the COVID-19 pandemic is the main challenge, followed by unemployment and recession with 65.7 percent, and more intense and frequent weather events with 59, 7 percent.
About 37.3 percent responded to rising military tensions arising from potential hot spots, such as in the South China Sea, and 28.4 percent said socioeconomic gaps are widening and income disparity is widening. .
Only 3.0 percent of Filipino respondents responded to terrorism, 11.9 percent said domestic political instability, and 13.4 percent said deterioration in human rights conditions.
A total of 1,032 respondents from 10 ASEAN member states participated in the online survey which was based on five categories of affiliation: academia / research, business / finance, government, civil society / non-governmental / media and regional organizations / international.
The survey was conducted from November 18, 2020 to January 10, 2021. – BM, GMA News
