A survey conducted by research firm WR Numero on Filipinos’ views on historical events showed that 45.1 percent have a favorable perception of the EDSA People Power Revolution (12.3 percent “very positively,” 32.8 percent “positively”).

The survey results were made public on Monday, Feb. 26, coinciding with the 38th anniversary of the 1986 Revolution.

“The positive perception of the EDSA People Power I was shared by 54.19 percent of the administration supporters, 62.40 percent of opposition supporters, 41.89 percent of independent voters, and 30.83 percent of unsure voters,” WR Numero said in its inaugural and non-commissioned Philippine Public Opinion Monitor report.

Meanwhile, it found that 24.3 percent and 2.4 percent of Filipinos, respectively, have “very negative” and “negative” opinions about the EDSA Revolution, while 28.2 percent were “undecided.”

Views on Martial Law

The same survey revealed that 56.5 percent of Filipinos have a positive opinion of the Martial Law that was imposed during former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s term (22.8 percent view very positively, 33.7 percent positively).

Meanwhile, 20.2 percent view it negatively, while 23.2 percent are unsure.

“The positive perception of the Martial Law was shared by 68.05 percent of administration supporters, 58.22 percent of opposition supporters, 53.68 percent of independent supporters, and 41.97 percent of unsure voters,” WR Numero said.

It added that the share of Filipino voters in Metro Manila who have a positive perception of Martial Law (75.50 percent) is also higher than those who have a positive view of the EDSA People Power I (46.79 percent).

“This is also consistent across other key areas with 56.30 percent of Filipinos in the rest of Luzon, 57.8 percent in Visayas, and 46.34 percent in Mindanao expressing a positive view on Martial Law. This is against the 45.57 percent, 42.13 percent, and 45.51 percent of Filipinos in the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, respectively, who had a positive view of the People Power Revolution,” WR Numero pointed out.

The nationally representative survey was conducted face-to-face among 1,457 Filipino adults, aged 18 years old and up, across the country from Nov. 24 to Dec. 24, 2023.

It has a ± 3 percent error margin at 99 percent confidence level.

The sub-national error margin estimates are ± 9 percent for Metro Manila, ± 5 percent for the rest of Luzon, ± 8 percent for Visayas, and ± 7 percent for Mindanao, with a similar 99 percent confidence level.