COVID-19 public transport suspension burdensome to 77% of families –SWS

The suspension of public transportation as part of the effort against COVID-19 was burdensome to 77 percent of Filipino families, according to a poll taken by the Social Weather Stations last May.

Among those who were burdened by the public transport suspension, 40 percent found the suspension very burdensome and 37 percent said it was somewhat burdensome.

Meanwhile, the remaining 22 percent felt little or no burden from the suspension.

Additionally, the poll also found that the public transport suspension was a greater burden to the 47 percent of families that did not own any type of vehicle.

Families experiencing burden (percentage that experienced great difficulty and percentage that experienced some difficulty) from the suspension of public transportation was higher among those that did not own any vehicle (82 percent, correctly rounded) than among those that own a vehicle (73 percent).

But even among vehicle-owning families, the suspension was a still burden to the 77 percent who owned bicycles, 75 percent of three-wheeled motor vehicle owners, 71 percent of two-wheeled motor vehicle owners, and 54 percent of four-wheeled motor vehicles owners.

Families burdened by the suspension of public transportation was highest in Metro Manila at 81 percent, followed by the Visayas at 78 percent, Mindanao at 77 percent, and Balance Luzon at 76 percent.

Private business shutdown

The May poll also found that 80 percent of families found the shutdown of private businesses and stores burdensome, with 37 percent finding it very burdensome and 43 percent somewhat burdensome.

Meanwhile, 20 percent of those polled felt little or no burden from the shutdown.

The SWS poll was taken from May 4-10, 2020 using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviews of 4,010 working-age Filipinos (15 years old and above) nationwide.

The poll had sampling error margins of ±2 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, ±2 percent for Balance Luzon, ±3 percent for the Visayas, and ±3 percent in Mindanao. — DVM, GMA News