4 in 10 believe ML won’t affect economy

Four in 10 or 43 percent of Filipinos believe the declaration of martial law in Mindanao will not affect the economy, a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed.

The poll, conducted from June 23 to 26 and published in the newspaper Business World yesterday, showed 24 percent foresee a better economy and 33 percent expect it to get worse.

The net balance of opinion – the difference between those who claimed the economy would get better despite martial law

and those who said it would get worse – was -9, which the SWS said is on the lower borderline or “neutral.”

In balance Luzon, 22 percent said the economy would improve, while 36 percent think otherwise, resulting in a -14 balance. In the Visayas, 24 percent expect the economy to get better while 37 percent expect the opposite, resulting in a net of -13. The double digit negative balances in the two regions were classified as “moderately unfavorable” by the SWS. In Mindanao, President Duterte’s home region, it was exactly neutral at 27 percent (better) and 27 percent (worse).

In the National Capital Region, the balance of opinion is a neutral net -7 (23 percent better, 29 percent worse).

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents nationwide.

It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points for Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The SWS earlier reported that 57 percent of those aware of the declaration said Duterte made the right decision, while 29 percent expressed belief martial rule should only be implemented in Marawi City or the entire Lanao del Sur province.

Eleven percent said it should have only been declared in Marawi, the entire Lanao del Sur and nearby provinces.

Duterte placed the entire Mindanao under martial rule last May 23, following the attack of the Islamic State-linked Maute terror group in Marawi.

The survey was also conducted on June 23 to 26 with the same set of respondents.

On Saturday, Congress granted Duterte’s request to extend martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31. –