As of May 31, 2023, the Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF), also known as Maharlika Investment Fund, is already awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the approval of Senate Bill 2020 by the House of Representatives.
The national Social Weather Survey of March 26-29, 2023 found that 20% of adult Filipinos said they have at least partial but sufficient knowledge about the MWF, consisting of 5% who said they have extensive knowledge and 15% partial but sufficient knowledge.
On the other hand, 33% said they have only a little knowledge about the MWF, while the plurality 47% said they have almost no knowledge or no knowledge at all.
To the question, “Sa inyong palagay, gaano kalaki ang makukuhang pakinabang ng Pilipinas mula sa Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF) kung sakaling matuloy ang pagbubuo nito? [In your opinion, how much will the Philippines benefit from the MWF in case it is developed?],” 51% expect little or no benefit from the MWF (consisting of 37% little benefit and 14% almost no benefit at all), while 46% expect much benefit from it (consisting of 14% very much benefit and 32% much benefit).
Net expected benefit (% will benefit very much/much minus % will benefit a little/not benefit at all, correctly rounded) from the MWF was highest among those with extensive knowledge about it, at +58 (78% will benefit very much/much and 20% will benefit a little/not benefit at all), followed by those with partial but sufficient knowledge, at +47 (74% will benefit very much/much and 26% will benefit a little/not benefit at all, correctly rounded), those with only a little knowledge, at -13 (43% will benefit very much/much and 56% will benefit a little/not benefit at all), and those with almost no knowledge or no knowledge at all about it, at -22 (36% will benefit very much/much and 59% will benefit a little/not benefit at all, correctly rounded).
The March 2023 survey also asked, “Gaano kalaki o kaliit ang inyong pagtitiwala na ang Maharlika Wealth Fund (MWF) ay hindi mauuwi sa korupsyon kapag ito ay naaprubahan na ng Kongreso? [How much or little is your confidence that the MWF will not end up in corruption once it is approved by Congress?]”
Public opinion split on the Maharlika Wealth Fund
To this, opinion was mixed, with 31% saying they have much confidence (10% very much confidence and 22% much confidence, correctly rounded), 38% undecided, and 29% saying they have little confidence (19% somewhat little confidence and 11% very little confidence).
Net confidence (% much confidence minus % little confidence, correctly rounded) that the MWF will not end up in corruption once it is approved by Congress was higher among those with extensive knowledge about it, at +29 (55% much confidence and 26% little confidence), and those with partial but sufficient knowledge, at +36 (54% much confidence and 17% little confidence, correctly rounded), than those with only a little knowledge, at -2 (31% much confidence and 33% little confidence), and those with almost no knowledge or no knowledge at all, at -9 (22% much confidence and 31% little confidence).
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