A proportion of Filipinos who "always" follow safety health protocols have declined in Metro Manila, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed.
The survey, conducted from September 17 to 20 among 1,249 respondents found that large majorities still follow the recommended safety protocols.
SWS said that 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.
It added that the proportion of those who always practice COVID-19 prevention measures rose slightly for using a face mask, from 76 percent in July 2020 to 79 percent in September 2020. It was at 77 percent in May 2020.
SWS surveyed for the first time the practice of wearing a face shield when riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets, or drugstores. To this, 56 percent say they always use a face shield when riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets, and drugstores, 16 percent say most of the time, 14 percent sometimes, and 11 percent rarely/never.
However, SWS said that those who are “always” following the protocols declined in Metro Manila.
The proportion of those who always use a face mask is now 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 to July 2020, those who always use a face mask declined in Metro Manila, down by 13 points from 90 percent.
Those who always wash their hands are now highest in the Visayas at 75 percent, followed by Mindanao at 69 percent, Balance Luzon at 64 percent, and Metro Manila at 63 percent.
Compared to July 2020, the proportion of those who always wash their hands fell in Metro Manila, down by 10 points from 73 percent.
Those who always keep “physical distance” are now 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 to July 2020, the proportion of those who always keep physical distance fell slightly in Metro Manila, down by 3 points from 68 percent.
Those who always use a face shield when riding public transportation or going to establishments like malls, markets, and drugstores are highest in the Visayas at 66 percent, followed by Mindanao at 58 percent, Metro Manila at 55 percent, and Balance Luzon at 52 percent.
Data were gathered through mobile phone interviews of adult Filipinos (18 years old and above), randomly drawn from a database of mobile phone numbers compiled from SWS national and subnational representative face-to-face surveys since 2017.