(Eagle News)—A majority of Filipinos believe the number of illegal drug users in their area has decreased over the past year, a recent Social Weather Stations survey showed.
According to the Fourth Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey conducted from December 16 to 19, this translates to 66% of Filipino adults vis à vis the 14% who say it has increased, and the 7% who say it has remained the same.
“By area, the proportion of people who say there are less drug addicts in their area compared to last year was highest in Mindanao at 83%, compared to the 6% who say the number increased, and 4% who say it remained the same,” the SWS said.
In the Visayas, results of the survey showed 71% say it decreased, 11% say it increased, and 6% say it remained the same.
In Metro Manila, 67% say the number of illegal drug addicts went down, 22% say it increased, and 8% say it remained the same.
In Balance Luzon, 54% say it decreased, 18% say it increased, and 8% say it remained the same.
According to the survey results, 95% of adult Filipinos say it is also important for police to capture illegal drug suspects alive and 5% say it is not important.
The SWS said this was similar to the 95% figure when the question was first asked for a survey in June 2018.
According to results of the survey, 87% of Filipinos say it is important for the police that they capture illegal drug suspects alive and 13% say it is not important.
The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide: 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Sampling error margins are pegged at ±2.6% for national percentages, and ±5% each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, the SWS said.
