51% of Pinoys vaccine confident, 33% averse

MANILA, Philippines — A little over half of Filipinos are confident about Philippine authorities’ assessment of the COVID-19 vaccines being used in the country, according to a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The non-commissioned poll, conducted from April 28 to May 2, found 51 percent of adult Filipinos confident – composed of 18 percent “very confident” and 34 percent “somewhat confident” – about the government’s evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines.

SWS said 31 percent of respondents are uncertain, and 17 percent are not confident – consisting of 12 percent “somewhat not confident” and five percent “not at all confident” about it.

Meanwhile, 32 percent of Filipino adults are “willing” to get free COVID-19 shots, 35 percent are uncertain and 33 percent are unwilling to get vaccinated, the pollster said.

The percentage of those willing to get vaccinated is 58 percent among those very confident as against 38 percent among those somewhat confident, 18 percent among those uncertain, 20 percent among those somewhat not confident and 11 percent among those not at all confident, about the government’s evaluation of the vaccines.

Confidence in the government’s evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines is highest in Mindanao at 58 percent, the SWS said. It was followed by the Visayas (55 percent), Metro Manila (49 percent) and balance Luzon (47 percent).

The percentage of those willing to be vaccinated is highest in Metro Manila at 41 percent, followed by Mindanao (34 percent), the Visayas (32 percent) and balance Luzon (28 percent).

Those who are willing to be vaccinated are highest among college graduates (50 percent), followed by junior high school graduates (34 percent), elementary graduates (25 percent) and non-elementary graduates (25 percent).

Forty-one percent said they are willing to get vaccinated “for my safety and protection against COVID-19,” and 30 percent said they too are willing “to avoid contracting the COVID-19 virus.”

The other most common reasons are: “For my family’s safety and protection vs. COVID-19” (nine percent), “To stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus (six percent), “It’s required in my workplace” (six percent), “It’s safe and proven effective” (five percent), “To go out without the worry of catching COVID-19 (four percent), “It’s available for free” (four percent), “I’m following what is being required” (three percent), “I already got my COVID-19 vaccine” (two percent), “Because others already got it” (one percent) and others (two percent).

SWS said fear of side effects is the top reason for public uncertainty or unwillingness to get vaccinated, at 39 percent.

Obtaining single-digit scores are reasons related to “I heard negative feedback about the vaccines” (six percent), “I might get sick/I might get COVID-19” (three percent), “I’m healthy/I’m not sick” (two percent), and “I just don’t like/need it” (one percent). The rest gave other reasons (one percent) or did not answer (one percent).

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above.