Social Weather Station (SWS) survey showed about 71 percent of Filipinos in September said they received cash aid from the government when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in the country. This figure is less than 72 percent in July 2020.
According to the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, 67% received subsidies once, while 33% received cash aid twice.
A family received an average of P7,531 in September and an average total of P6,588.17 cash aid in July 2020.
In Metro Manila, 39% of families receive cash aid only once, 48% twice, 6% three times, 4% four times, and 1% five times cash aid.
Respondents from Metro Manila a larger amount of cash aid with an average of P11,024. In Balance Luzon, it was P7,481, while in the Visayas, it was P6,6883.
In July 2020, the government’s average total cash aid to each family was P2,670 in Metro Manila, P845 in the Visayas, P780 in Balance Luzon, and P222 in Mindanao.
Also read: SWS: 86% of adult Pinoys stressed over COVID-19
SWS: 71% of Pinoys received cash aid from gov’t
The SWS survey was conducted on September 17-20, 2020, by the National Mobile Phone Survey.
Earlier, an official of Pulse Asia said Tuesday that the high approval and trust ratings of President Rodrigo Duterte were due to the government’s financial aid or “ayuda” to the people during the height of the COVID-19 crisis in the country.
“They do not attribute their economic hardships to him. They are grateful for the government subsidies that they received during the ECQ and MECQ,” Ana Maria Tabunda, Research Director for Pulse Asia, told GMA News Online in a phone interview.
The Pulse Asia official refers to the social amelioration program (SAP), which provided a monthly P5,000 to P8,000 cash grant to low-income households nationwide.
Likewise, Tabunda said the respondents do not blame Duterte for the world’s longest lockdown, preventing people from going outside to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“They (people) are afraid of COVID-19. They prioritize their health over the economy,” Tabunda said.