Pulse Asia poll: A wake-up call

THE latest Pulse Asia Ulat ng Bayan survey result is not alarming enough. So it will not make those opposition politicians waiting for the schadenfreude of seeing the people hate President Aquino to begin celebrating.

But the President and his economic team should hear it as a loud wake up call.

On November 10 to 11 last year, Pulse Asia asked its sample of 1200 adult Filipinos scattered all over the country: “If you compare the state of the national economy now with that of last year [2010], would you say that the state of the national economy is better, same or worse now?”

The result of the survey, released on Monday, showed that 45 percent of the respondents said they saw neither positive nor negative change. A year and a half earlier, in October 2010, more respondents — 54 percent — gave the “no change” answer.

We think the President and his aides should see this is a warning because 38 percent of this survey’s respondents saw the economy worsen, a more than 100 percent rise from the 16 percent who saw a negative change in October 2010.

And in this survey only 18 percent of respondents saw a positive change in the economy, down from the 30 percent of respondents who said they saw an improvement in 2010.

Those who saw no change were large pluralities, even majorities, in various parts of the National Capital Region (50 percent), Balance Luzon (which means except Metro Manila—52 percent), and the Visayas (46 percent). The no change perception was less in Mindanao ( 26 percent).

Across the economic classes, the no-change sentiment was also dominant—abc (47 percent), D (43 percent) and E (48 percent).

A majority of respondents in Mindanao saw the economy worsen (57 percent). This perception was uniformly held by respondents — 32 percent — in Luzon (minus NCR), the NCR, and the Visayas.

The worsening economy was seen by 38 percent of respondents in the ABCD classes and 36 percent of respondents in the E class.

A minority of respondents saw an improvement in the economy: 18 percent in the NCR, 16 percent in Balance Luzon, 22 percent in the Visayas, 17 percent in Mindanao, and in the economic classes — 16 percent in the ABCE classes and 19 percent in D class.

Effect of deterioriation

How did the economic deterioration affect the respondents?

Among those who saw a worsened economy, 66 percent said they were “strongly” affected, 31 percent were “somehow” affected and 3 percent were not affected at all.

By geographic areas, the majority everywhere in the country said they were “strongly affected” by the deterioration—56 percent in Metro Manila and as high as 74 percent in Mindanao. By economic classes, the majority also said they were “strongly affected” by the worsened economy—55 percent in the ABCD classes and 72 percent in E class.

Effect of improved economy

How did the economic improvement affect those who saw it?

Of those who saw an improved economy, 25 percent said they were strongly affected by the improvement and 60 percent said they were somewhat affected. A minority — 15 percent — of the respondents who saw an improvement said they were not affected at all.

Majorities of the better- economy people all over the country said they were somewhat affected — ranging from 71 percent in the NCR to 51 percent in the NCR.

Before Pulse Asia released these survey results last Monday, however, the Aquino administration had already done something to make the people see and feel some economic improvement around them. Last month, almost all of the P72.11 billion that the Aquino administration calls its “stimulus package” was released to the government agencies to whom funds were allocated. In addition, P13.4 billion was added to this fund.

This money should immediately yield results in job creation and higher purchasing power for the people.

This will result in a real— not just perceived— improvement in the economy. And it will reduce the number of people who see a worsened economic situation.

More than this “stimulus package” however the administration must get its big- ticket public- private partnership ( PPP) projects going. These are the things that will permanently contribute to a better economy.