LESS than half, or 47.5%, of Metro Manila residents are doing “good” or “very good” under the enhanced community quarantine currently being implemented to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to a survey by political consultancy firm Publicus Asia, Inc (PAI).

Those who consider themselves in a “bad” or “very bad” condition comprise 15%, while the remaining 37.5% answered neither.

“It should be noted that respondents from the three lowest income groups were the only ones among all income groups to report a higher average incidence of bad or very bad condition,” PAI Executive Director Aureli C. Sinsuat said in a virtual presser on Wednesday.

The National Capital Region, where most of the country’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are located, has a 12.887 million population as of the 2015 census.

PAI conducted its Online Panel Survey from April 2 to 6, with a weighted sample of 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 70 years old.

Of the respondents, 33.5% said their food and water supply are only sufficient for a week, 25.3% have supplies that will last for a week or two, 25.1% said less than a week, while 16.1% said their supplies will last for more than two weeks.

In terms of confidence in the national government’s ability to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19, 40% of respondents answered that there is a high or very high chance of success.

Another 41.3% feel a “50/50” chance while 18.7% have low or very low confidence.

PAI also reported that about 66.6% of Metro Manila residents approve of the response measures undertaken by President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s administration.

“Exactly two-thirds, 66.6%, approved of the manner in which President Duterte and the national government are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. 17% neither approved nor disapproved and 16.4% either disapproved or strongly disapproved,” Mr. Sinsuat said.

“The President and the national government have positive net approval among all income groups but interestingly enough, it was lowest among both the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor,” he added.

Meanwhile, 53% approve of the Department of Health’s response to COVID-19, 26% neither approved nor disapproved while 21% disapproved or strongly disapproved.

“However, the leader of the Department of Health, Secretary Francisco (T.) Duque III, has a slightly lower approval rating. A plurality of respondents or 39.3% approved the response of Health Secretary Duque to COVID-19, almost one-third, 31%, neither approved or disapproved and disapproval rating of Secretary Duque is 29.7%,” Mr. Sinsuat said.

The Senate, on the other hand, had a 38.8% approval rating of its response to COVID-19, while 33% neither approved nor disapproved and 38.3% disapproved.

For the House of Representatives, 31.7% approved of its response to the outbreak, 37.3% neither approved nor disapproved and 31% disapproved. — Genshen L. Espedido

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