Only 23% believe accuracy of government COVID-19 data – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Only one in every four Filipinos believes the accuracy of government statistics regarding the number of confirmed cases and deaths from the coronavirus disease, a recent survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 17 to 20 with the results released last Thursday, showed that only 23 percent of the respondents believe that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases released by the government is “probably right.”

Thirty-nine percent of the 1,249 adult Filipino respondents believed that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is over-reported or more than the real number, while 31 percent said it was under-reported or less than the real number.

The number of reported COVID-19 cases was seen as least accurate by respondents in Metro Manila, where only 14 percent said that the data reported by the government is “probably right.”

In comparison, 31 percent in Mindanao, 24 percent in the Visayas and 23 percent in the rest of Luzon consider it accurate.

Those who consider the number of positive cases to be over-reported is also highest in Metro Manila at 44 percent, followed by the rest of Luzon at 41 percent, and Mindanao and the Visayas both at 36 percent.

Thirty-percent of respondents in Metro Manila believed that the cases are under-reported, Visayas at 35 percent and the rest of Luzon and Mindanao both at 28 percent.

According to SWS, the reported number of COVID-19 positives is seen as less accurate by the more educated groups.

Only 18 percent of college graduates believe in the accuracy of the data, followed by junior high school graduates at 22 percent, non-elementary graduates at 26 percent and elementary graduates at 31 percent.

COVID-19 deaths

On the reported number of deaths related to the viral illness, 27 percent said the data released by the government is probably right, while those who believe it to be either over or under-reported are both at 34 percent.

Only 20 percent in Metro Manila consider it as accurate, followed by those living in the rest of Luzon and the Visayas at 26 percent each and Mindanao at 29 percent.

Those who consider the reported number of COVID-19 deaths to be probably under-reported are highest in Metro Manila at 46 percent, followed by the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao at 35 percent each.

Meanwhile, the percentage of those who consider the reported number of COVID-19 deaths to be probably over-reported is lowest among respondents in Metro Manila at 31 percent, with the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao at 35 percent each.

By education, SWS said there is no clear pattern when it comes to the percentage of those who consider COVID-19 deaths as accurate, noting 21 percent among non-elementary graduates, 23 percent among college graduates, 26 percent among junior high school graduates and 31 percent among elementary graduates.

The survey was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing. It has a margin of error of +/- three percent for national percentages.