Politics is not discussed by most Filipinos when they communicate with others using instant messaging applications, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey results released on Tuesday, Oct. 12.

The non-commissioned survey, which was conducted from Sept. 6 to 11, 2021, has 2,400 adult respondents nationwide.

Pulse Asia found that nearly all Filipino adults who access the internet use an instant messaging application (99 percent), with Facebook messenger being the most often used application (98 percent).

"Huge majorities, whether at the national level and across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, do not discuss politics, the government, and/or the elections through instant messaging applications with members of their family (75 percent to 86 percent and 74 percent to 83 percent, respectively), close friends (72 percent to 86 percent and 73 percent to 83 percent, respectively), co-workers (73 percent to 83 percent and 72 percent to 82 percent, respectively), and groups with similar wants or special interests and hobbies (82 percent to 84 percent and 78 percent to 85 percent, respectively)," the pollster said in a statement.

Meanwhile, "big pluralities" of those who talk to their family members and/or co-workers via instant messaging applications discuss political matters with them once a week (40 percent and 38 percent, respectively).

Pulse Asia pointed out that among those who discuss political matters with various entities, "pluralities do so either once a week (38 percent to 40 percent) or less often than once a week (29 percent to 39 percent)."

During the same survey period, Pulse Asia found that "practically all internet users (99 percent) go online to check their social media accounts."

It said that over half of internet users (53 percent) access the internet to read, watch, and/or listen to things of interest to them such as movies, recipes, and celebrity news.

The rest of internet users access the web to read, watch, and/or listen to news about the government (41 percent) or the elections (24 percent), to shop online (22 percent), to send, receive, and/or read emails (20 percent), and for formal and/or non-formal online learning (10 percent).

Pulse Asia said that majority of internet users in Metro Manila (69 percent), the rest of Luzon (52 percent), and Classes ABC and D (63 percent and 52 percent, respectively) read, watch, and/or listen to things of interest to them like movies, recipes, and celebrity news online.

The only other majority figure across areas and classes is posted in Metro Manila, where most residents (58 percent) access the internet to read, watch, and/or listen to news regarding the government.

"During the period June 2021 to September 2021, there is an increase in the percentage of internet users who go online to read, watch, and/or listen to news about the government at the national level (+14 percentage points) as well as in Metro Manila (+23 percentage points), the rest of Luzon (+10 percentage points), the Visayas (+22 percentage points), and Classes D and E (+13 and +22 percentage points, respectively)," Pulse Asia said.

"Also going up between June 2021 and September 2021 is the percentage of those who use the internet to read, watch, and/or listen to election-related news in the Philippines as a whole (+8 percentage points), Metro Manila (+14 percentage points), the Visayas (+10 percentage points), and Class D (+8 percentage points)," it pointed out.

Moreover, Pulse Asia noted that online shopping is an activity reported by more internet users in September 2021 than in June 2021 at the national level (+5 percentage points) and among those in Visayas (+9 percentage points), and those belonging to Class D (+6 percentage points).

In Mindanao, there is a rise in the percentage of those who go online to send, receive, and/or read emails (+9 percentage points), it added.