Most Filipinos eager on 2010 polls – Pulse

Most Filipinos are interested and likely to participate in the May 2010 elections, results of a Pulse Asia survey revealed on Wednesday.

“The level of public interest in the May 2010 elections is very high, with most Filipinos saying they are interested in the coming electoral exercise and are likely to vote,” Pulse Asia reported.

Based on the survey results, 90 percent or nine in 10 Filipinos expressed interest in the elections while 87 percent said they will likely participate in the exercise.

Pulse Asia said that across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes, overwhelming majorities also expressed interest in the May 2010 elections, from 83 percent to 94 percent, and that they are likely to vote.

About only one in 10 Filipinos was still undecided whether he will exercise his right to vote in the May 2010 elections.

The same percentage, Pulse Asia said, was either disinterested or unable to say whether he is interested in the elections.

When asked if they believed that the May 2010 elections will be held as scheduled, 59 percent of the respondents said they do.

“Small to sizeable majorities across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes [53 percent to 67 percent] said there is a big possibility that the May 2010 elections will push through,” Pulse Asia said.

Almost a third (30 percent), however, still cannot say whether there is a big or small possibility that the May 2010 elections will not push through.

Meanwhile, the survey also found that a near majority (47 percent) believed that there will be a lot of trouble in case the elections are not held as scheduled.

“Near to small majorities [47 percent to 57 percent] in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas and Classes ABC and D are of the opinion that much trouble will result from the cancellation or postponement of the elections,” Pulse Asia said.

The nationwide survey on Filipinos’ interest in the May 2010 elections was conducted from October 12 to 27, 2008, using face-to-face field interviews with 1,200 adults.

Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent at 95 percent confidence level. It is plus or minus 6 percent also at 95 percent confidence level in each of the geographic areas covered in the survey: Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pulse Asia said that it conducts on its own its Ulat ng Bayan surveys without any party singularly commissioning the research effort. –Rommel C. Lontayao, Reporter, Manila Times