SWS: More Pinoy fear ‘worst to come’ in pandemic

MANILA – More than half of Filipinos believe “the worst is yet to come” in the coronavirus crisis that has left millions out of work and killed thousands, according to the results of a published Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. on Tuesday.

Of 1,555 adults surveyed July 3-6 this year, 57 percent said the worst case had not yet occurred, up from 47 percent in May, the SWS said.

On the other hand, 35 percent said “the worst is over,” up from 44 percent in May. Those who did not provide an answer stayed at 8 percent, the pollster said.

The proportion of those who fear “the worst is yet to come” with the COVID-19 crisis is highest in Metro Manila at 70 percent, followed by Visayas with 61 percent, the rest of Luzon with 56 percent. and Mindanao with 49 percent. .

Last May, the pessimism index was only 50 percent in the National Capital Region, the epicenter of the crisis in the country.

In terms of educational attainment, the share of those still expecting the worst is highest among college graduates at 63 percent, followed by high school graduates at 59 percent; non-elementary graduates, 50 percent; and elementary school graduates, 49 percent.

On Monday, the Philippines reported 259 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest in a single day, as the cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to more than 265,000.

The country’s first case was confirmed on January 30 in a Chinese woman who arrived from the city of Wuhan, China, where the disease is believed to have arisen.

The health department said last week that it cannot yet say whether the country has flattened the coronavirus curve.

Quarantine protocols imposed since mid-March to curb the spread of COVID-19 have affected business activities, driving the country back into economic recession after nearly 30 years.