Forty-five percent of Filipinos do not want to turn Manila Bay into a white sand beach, according to the results of the latest online survey.

Polling and data analytics firm WR Numero Research said this was based on the data it collected from the online survey of 8,305 Filipinos from Sept. 7 to 8.

WR explained the online survey, which was non-commissioned for public consumption, utilized “a non-probability sampling, specifically convenience sampling of users who are willing to participate.”

“The data was generated through survey questions on a mobile application that active users from our data partner’s online community answer,” it explained.

WR reported that 45 percent don’t want Manila Bay turned into a white sand beach.

This is the prevailing public sentiment despite Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque’s statement that it “could help improve Filipinos' mental health amid the crisis.” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also said the project “would improve the beauty of the site and provide a ‘safety buffer area’ for visitors.”

The firm’s survey showed only 40 percent agree with the P389 million rehabilitation project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Among the respondents, 15 percent showed that they are unsure whether to support the project or not.

Despite the apparently divided sentiments, WR revealed that 77 percent of the respondents said that Manila Bay would look cleaner if it was turned into a white sand beach, while 23 percent disagree with this view.

In the same survey, 53 percent believe that pulverized dolomite rocks now being used in the rehabilitation project are “not safe,” while the rest believe otherwise.

“Experts and environment advocates have strongly opposed this move, saying that the mineral is not just harmful to public health but could also damage marine life and natural ecosystems in the area,” WR noted.

Though dolomite has been found to “cause skin and eye irritation as well as cancer and respiratory disease through prolonged or repeated exposure,” WR said the DENR has assured that “the project has gone through expert engineering interventions and would not have pushed through should they discovered detrimental effects.”

Using its proprietary digital listening and sentiment analysis tool Pathos, WR also gathered digital sentiments from 207,622 Facebook users from Sept. 7 to 9.

In this survey, 44 percent criticized those against the Manila Bay beautification project; 24 percent criticized the administration for misplaced priorities; 15 percent said the project is a waste of taxpayers’ money; and 10 percent expressed support for the rehabilitation project.

Those who participated in the survey included 54 percent female, 44 percent male, and 2 percent LGBTQ.

They included 25 percent from the National Capital Region, 25 percent from South Luzon and Bicol, 21 percent from Northern and Central Luzon, 15 percent Visayas, and 14 percent Mindanao.

The age groups of the participants included 33 percent between 18 to 25 years old, 33 percent 26 to 33 years old, 26 percent 36 to 50 years, and the rest are over 50 years old.

Most of those who participated in the survey belong to the socioeconomic class E at 42 percent.

The rest include class AB at 2 percent, class C at 12 percent and class D at 34 percent.