More than half of Filipinos support the government’s decision to close and rehabilitate Boracay for one year, a special survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations has found out.
The nationwide survey conducted from March 23 to March 27 among 1,200 respondents found out that 64 percent agreed (38 percent strongly agreed, 26 percent somewhat agreed) and 20 percent disagreed (10 percent strongly disagreed, 10 percent somewhat disagreed) with the government’s decision to close Boracay. On the other hand, 17 percent were undecided about the matter.
This translates to a net agreement score (percent agree minus percent disagree) of +44, classified by SWS as “very strong.”
The SWS terminology for net agreement are +50 and above, extremely strong; +30 to +49, very strong; +10 to +29, moderately strong; +9 to -9, neutral; -10 to -29, moderately weak; -30 to -49, very weak; and -50 and below, extremely weak.
There is stronger support for the closure of Boracay in Mindanao, urban areas, and among those with higher education, SWS said.
Net agreement with the closure of Boracay was highest in Mindanao at +55 (68 percent agree, 13 percent disagree), followed by Metro Manila at +49 (69 percent agree, 20 percent disagree), rest of Luzon at +45 (64 percent agree, 20 percent disagree), and Visayas at +26 (53 percent agree, 27 percent disagree).
Net agreement was extremely strong at +50 (68 percent agree, 18 percent disagree) in overall urban areas, compared to the very strong +38 (59 percent agree, 21 percent disagree) in overall rural areas.
Support for the closure of Boracay was stronger among those with higher educational attainment. Net agreement was highest among college graduates at +54 (70 percent agree, 16 percent disagree), followed by high school graduates at +50 (69 percent agree, 18 percent disagree), non-elementary school graduates at +34 (55 percent agree, 20 percent disagree), and elementary school graduates at +33 (57 percent agree, 23 percent disagree). (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
