The Social Weather Station’s (SWS) National Mobile Phone Survey on July 3 to 6, 2020 found that 75% of adult Filipinos agreed that Congress should have granted ABS-CBN a fresh franchise.
That means 3 out of 4 Filipinos wanted Congress to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.
Meanwhile, 10% of the respondents are ‘undecided’, and 13% ‘disagreeing’ that “Congress should renew the franchise of ABS-CBN so that it can broadcast its programs again.”
The survey interviews were done while the Philippine House of Representatives was debating the renewal of the ABS-CBN franchise and scrutinizing the network’s alleged violations.
But the survey was done before the July 10 vote by the Committee on Legislative Franchises to deny the application for a fresh franchise by the network.
On the other hand, the survey also found that denying the network a broadcast franchise for its free radio and TV operations is a major blow to press freedom.
It showed 56% ‘agreeing’, 15% ‘undecided’, and 27% ‘disagreeing’ that “Congress’ non-renewal of ABS-CBN franchise is a major blow to press freedom.”
The SWS July 3-6, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey was a probability-based survey conducted using a mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) of 1,555 adult Filipinos (18 years old and above) nationwide.
There were 306 respondents in the National Capital Region, 451 in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside of Metro Manila), 388 in the Visayas, and 410 in Mindanao.
The sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5% for Balance Luzon, ±5% Visayas, and ±5% in Mindanao.
The area estimates were weighted by the Philippine Statistics Authority medium-population projections for 2020 to obtain the national estimates.
Based on past SWS surveys, ABS-CBN, the country’s largest media network, was “highly trusted” by Filipinos, the poll said. Of the 11 surveys from October 2000 to December 2018, net trust was ‘excellent’ in 6 and ‘very good’ in 5.
The same survey also found that support for ABS-CBN’s franchise bid was strong in all areas, especially outside Metro Manila and in rural areas.
Call for the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise was highest in Mindanao (80%), followed by the Visayas (77%), Balance Luzon (74%) and Metro Manila (69%). It was also higher in rural areas (81%) than in urban areas (70%).
Those who called on Congress to let ABS-CBN air again were higher among women (81%) than among men (70%). They hardly vary across age groups.
By education, those who agreed that Congress should renew ABS-CBN’s franchise were higher among non-elementary graduates (82%) and elementary graduates (84%), compared to junior high school graduates (74%), and college graduates (65%).
Recently, the SWS survey about the Duterte admin showed that 51% of adult Filipinos agree with the statement, “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth.”
The 51% agreement consists of 23% of people who ‘strongly agree’ and 27% who ‘somewhat agree’ agree with the statement.
On the other hand, 30% disagree with the statement as they think that it is not dangerous to publish stories critical of Duterte Admin while 18% are undecided.
The 30% of people in disagreement with the statement consist of 14% ‘somewhat disagree’ and 17% who ‘strongly disagree.’
The results of the SWS poll came almost a month after the House Committee on Legislative Franchises panel denied the franchise application of ABS-CBN forcing the network to stop its radio and TV broadcast.
Netizens have shared their opinion on the survey through their social media posts. Many people became alarmed that even though freedom of speech and freedom of the press in the country is the right of the people, it is still dangerous to publish critical news about Duterte admin.
ABS-CBN broadcast journalist Karen Davila thanked the people for their support in believing that Congress should have granted ABS-CBN a new franchise.
Salamat po mga kababayan ❤️ https://t.co/ExqOakW55W
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) August 9, 2020
“Salamat po mga kababayan,” she wrote.
Others also shared that if more than half of the Filipinos think that it’s dangerous to criticize the government on social media platforms, then it should mean something.
Wow! According to an SWS Survey, more 50% think it is dangerous to criticize the government on social media. Amazing. That should say a lot. #DZBB
— RJ (@rjculot) August 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/jedai32/status/1292271461558755328
Watch the DDS hate on SWS when the survey doesn't suit their agenda. "ABias!" https://t.co/m76RO2Set7
— Celesti Cortesi Desk (@AsiasTweetybird) August 9, 2020
So opinions have hardened over time with fewer people unsure. pic.twitter.com/vDq6mNSlym
— Manuel L. Quezon III (@mlq3) August 7, 2020
51% of filipinos agrees that the administration is butthurt according to sws survey lol
— tweet malone (@mendoza_kurt) August 7, 2020
Now here’s a good headline based on that SWS survey. https://t.co/yi0kwSqlr4
— Zion Ryan Cruz (@zryanverse) August 7, 2020
That only means Philippine is under dictatorship leader because anybody who say anything bad to the government will be in danger or at risk their lives ….. fear are now on the people mind ?
— AKOSI (@WalaAkosi) August 8, 2020
Then half of Pinoys think of the gov’t officials as gods if ganyan sila mag-isip. WE ELECTED THEM. WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE POWER TO REMOVE THEM.
— Gobyernong Tapat (@simazhuge) August 8, 2020
Duh, that’s quite obvious..
— strathmore (@Hyperchromer) August 8, 2020
Just as the the way this admin wants people to think. Of course Roque will deny it, but this news is music to their ears. The incompetent hate criticism.
— LG (@PoorPilot) August 7, 2020
sa panahon ngayon, kapag nag-post or comment ka nang criticism against the admin, naku, kukuyugin ka nang DDS at trolls, some will even sent threatening messages, kaya mapipilitan ka nalang gumamit nang anonymous accounts. So, even though admin do respect it, most DDS will not.
— sher win (@Sher_Win1234) August 8, 2020
Obviously. We’re getting beaten senseless by media. And we don’t have the power to suppress media if we wanted to. But that doesn’t mean libel has been legalized along with dealing drugs. Sorry. Those are still no no. https://t.co/i6TbCW5alu
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) August 8, 2020
