6 of 10 Pinoys ready to help Marawi victims — SWS

MANILA — The latest Social Weather Stations poll showed that majority of Filipinos expressed their readiness to help the victims of the war-torn Marawi City.

The survey was conducted from September 23 to 27 but the results were released only on November 21. The survey period also preceded the declared liberation of Marawi City after a five-month-long battle between state forces and extremist militants.

More than half of respondents — 60 percent said they are ready to help, with 27 percent answering they are “very ready” and 33 percent answering “somewhat ready.”

A fifth of respondents said they are unready — 11 percent said they are “somewhat unready” and 9 percent “very unready.”

The remaining 20 percent are undecided. In the same survey, Seven out of 10 residents in Mindanao (70 percent) and Metro Manila (68 percent) are willing to assist victims of the siege. The readiness to help was 68 percent in Visayas and 54 percent in Balance Luzon.

Readiness to help was at 67 percent among religions other than Roman Catholicism and Islam, 66 percent among Muslims, 61 percent among Iglesia ni Cristo members and 59 percent among Roman Catholics.

Topping the things one can do to assist victims of the siege were praying or offering of mass for the victims (54 percent), donating relief goods (51 percent) and donating clothes (49 percent).

The rest were donating money (16 percent), working personally in packing or delivering relief goods (13 percent), offering own house to keep/protect victims (4 percent), giving free transportation/rides (2 percent) and giving free medicine (0.1 percent).

A total of 1,500 adults were surveyed using face-to-face interviews. It has sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

In a speech before troops on the 148th day since the crisis began, Duterte announced the liberation of Marawi City. He said the declaration marks the beginning of the rehabilitation of Lanao del Sur's capital.

The president's announcement came after terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute were killed in a military operation at dawn on October 16.

Rebuilding of Marawi will start mid-2018, according to Task Force Bangon Marawi chief Eduardo Del Rosario.

Duterte has yet to lift martial law in Mindanao.

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE Sixty percent said they are ready to help—with 27 percent answering “very ready” and 33 percent answering “somewhat ready.” Meanwhile, 20 percent said they are unready, of which 11 percent are “somewhat unready” and 9 percent “very unready.”