Half of Filipinos support the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund—a wealth fund that the government can use for investments, a recent nationwide survey conducted by big data research firm Tangere found.

In the survey results released on Monday, Dec. 19, Tangere CEO and founder Martin Peñaflor said 83.75 percent of survey respondents are aware of House Bill No. 6608 or the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Bill, which has recently passed on third and final reading at the House of Representatives.

Of those aware of the proposed bill, Peñaflor said 54.08 percent either “strongly support” (21.84 percent) or “somewhat support” (32.24 percent) its passage into law.

Meanwhile, 21.34 percent are “neutral” about the proposed measure and 24.58 percent either somewhat or strongly oppose it.

However, the survey found that the number of those who agree to have government financial institutions, such as the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System, Land Bank of the Philippines, and Development Bank of the Philippines, as source for the funds for the Maharlika Investment Fund is slightly lower at 45.87 percent—with 19.5 percent “strongly agreeing” and 26.37 percent “slightly agreeing.”

Tangere also noted that six out of 10 Filipinos who are aware of the MIF Bill are okay to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to lead the management of the MIF, should it be established by law.

“Almost half of those aware of the MIF Bill either strongly believe (22.39 percent) or somewhat believe (27.01 percent) that the establishment of funds can be safeguarded from corruption,” Tangere said.

Moreover, 65.47 percent of the survey respondents who are aware of the bill also believe that the proposal of the establishment of the funds is timely, and about 56.67 percent either strongly believe or somewhat believe that it would also be helpful in the growth of our economy.

About 57.86 percent also strongly or somewhat believe that the proposed measure could help fuel crucial government projects.

Tangere also found that 73.14 percent believe that the government should come up with other creative sources of revenue, other than raising or requiring additional taxes.

The mobile-based survey was conducted from Dec. 8 to 10, 2022. It has a margin of error of 2.191 percent.

The 2,400 survey respondents proportionately represented the following areas nationwide—12 percent from Metro Manila, 23 percent from North and Central Luzon, 22 percent from South Luzon, 20 percent from Visayas, and 23 percent from Mindanao.