Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 29) — Only two in 10 Filipinos believe that the number of coronavirus infections reported by the government is accurate, according to results of a nationwide survey released on Thursday, nine months into the local COVID-19 outbreak.
The Social Weather Stations conducted the poll from September 17-20, using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing on 1,249 Filipino adults. The entire country is still under varying levels of community quarantine to curb the spread of the disease.
While 23% of the respondents said the total number of COVID-19 cases reported by the government “is probably right,” an overwhelming 70% think otherwise. Some 39% said there may be over-reporting, or the numbers released by the government are higher than actual cases. Thirty-one percent said the real number of patients sickened with COVID-19 is more than what’s being reported.
The remaining 7% did not answer the question, “Ano ang tingin ninyo sa bilang ng mga kaso ng COVID-19 na iniuulat ng gobyerno? Ito po ba ay (Malamang tama ang bilang, Malamang ay mas madami sa tunay na bilang, o Malamang ay mas kaunti sa tunay na bilang)?”
[Translation: What do you think about the number of COVID-19 cases that are being reported by the government? Is this (Probably right, Probably more than the real number, or Probably less than the real number)?]
The Philippines has recorded over 375,000 coronavirus cases – the second highest in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia. Latest data from the Department of Health show that 7,114 patients succumbed to the infectious disease, but 34% of Filipinos believe there’s underreporting of COVID-related deaths.
Another 34% said the deaths are probably over-reported, while only 27% expressed confidence with government data.
The number of people who believe in the government’s COVID-19 reports is lowest in Metro Manila, epicenter of the country’s outbreak. Only 14% of respondents in the capital region consider the total reported infections to be correct, as compared to 31% in Mindanao, 24% in the Visayas, and 23% in the rest of Luzon.
Likewise, only 20% of respondents from Metro Manila are convinced by the number of reported COVID-19 deaths, far from the 38% in the Visayas, 28% in Mindanao, and 28% in the rest of Luzon.
Questions have been raised about the DOH’s coronavirus data, including its reporting of the all-time high recovery of over 38,000 patients in July. Health officials explained they simply tagged as recovered all mild and asymptomatic patients who have completed their 14-day quarantine. The DOH has since reported surges in the number of recoveries.
Earlier, experts pointed out errors and inconsistencies in DOH data, but the agency said these are all immediately rectified once spotted.
“We assure the public that the issues raised are a nominal percentage of the whole data set, and does not prejudice the overall interpretation of data and decision making,” the DOH said in May.
