MANILA, Philippines — Fewer adult residents in Metro Manila have followed safety measures against COVID-19 in the past two months, according to the Sept. 17-20 mobile phone survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
Metro Manila is still considered the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country as it continues to record hundreds of new cases daily.
The proportion of those who “always” use a face mask was highest in the Visayas at 86 percent, followed by Mindanao at 78 percent, Metro Manila at 77 percent and balance Luzon at 76 percent.
Compared with results in July 2020, those who “always” use a face mask rose slightly in the Visayas from 82
percent, in Mindanao from 72 percent and in balance Luzon also from 72 percent.
Those who “always” wear face masks, however, declined in Metro Manila by 13 points from 90 percent in July.
Those who “always” wash their hands were also highest in the Visayas at 75 percent (from 69 percent), followed by Mindanao at 69 percent (from 67 percent), balance Luzon at 64 percent (from 59 percent) and Metro Manila at 63 percent (from 73 percent).
Those who “always” keep physical distance were likewise highest in the Visayas at 66 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 65 percent, Mindanao at 60 percent and balance Luzon at 56 percent.
Compared with results in July 2020, the proportion of those who “always” keep physical distance rose slightly in Mindanao from 57 percent, hardly changed in the Visayas from 64 percent, unchanged in balance Luzon at 56 percent and fell slightly in Metro Manila from 68 percent.
Those who “always” wear a face shield when riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets and drugstores was also highest in the Visayas at 66 percent, followed by Mindanao at 58 percent, Metro Manila at 55 percent and balance Luzon at 52 percent.
The practice of wearing a face shield when riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets or drugstores was surveyed by SWS for the first time.
The September 2020 poll was conducted when most areas of the country were already under the most lenient modified general community quarantine or MGCQ.
Nationwide, the SWS said 79 percent of adult Filipinos “always” use a face mask when going out of their houses, 67 percent “always” wash their hands several times a day, 60 percent “always” keep physical distance or a safe distance of one meter from other people when outside their homes and 56 percent “always” use a face shield whenever riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets or drugstores.
The proportion of those who “always” practice COVID-19 prevention measures such as using a face mask rose slightly, from 76 percent in July and 77 percent in May.
It hardly changed for washing hands from 65 percent in July to 67 and 68 percent in May, and for keeping physical distance from 59 percent in July to 60 percent in September. It was at 64 percent in May.
The survey used mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 1,249 adult Filipinos, 18 years old and above.
Palace pleased
Malacañang was pleased with the survey results, saying it reflected the success of the government’s information campaign on the pandemic.
“The Palace views the latest (SWS) national mobile phone survey on COVID-19 safety measures encouraging as it reveals that large majorities of Filipinos have been following the recommended health protocols by the government,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
“This goes to show that our drive to inform and educate people to observe public health standards have reached our countrymen,” he added.
Roque, however, emphasized that the public should continue to observe health protocols to contain the virus.
“The success of this campaign, however, must not lull us into complacency as there is still no vaccine or cure available. We must never fail to remind our people to continue adhering to these COVID-19 safety measures, especially now that we have started to gradually reopen the economy,” he said.
“We have to take care of the health of our people even as we look after the economic health of the nation.” – Alexis Romero