COVID Dulls Some of Filipinos' Hope in New Year 2021: SWS

Fewer Filipinos said they would welcome 2021 with hope after a year of unprecedented uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, results of a Social Weather Stations survey released Tuesday showed.

Of the total 1,500 adults polled from Nov. 21 to 25, 91% said they were entering the New Year with hope rather than fear, SWS said. It was the lowest number since the 89% recorded in 2009, a recession year. Another 7% of Filipino adults said they would enter the New Year with fear.

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New Year hope is higher among those from "not poor" and "borderline poor" families at 94% and 93% respectively, compared to 89% among those from "poor" families.

In terms of geographical location, SWS said New Year hope rose by three points in Mindanao, to 93% from 90% end 2019.

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It however fell in other areas, Balance Luzon (92% from 99%% ), in Metro Manila (90% from 96%), and in the Visayas (88% from 97%).

Filipinos saw a difficult 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, a recession, and typhoons that complicated the country's pandemic response.

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Worldwide, countries are rolling out mass COVID-19 immunization programs as governments keep a tight watch on a new virus strain.

The Philippines imposed a travel ban on the United Kingdom, where the new virus strain was first reported, and later expanded it to cover other countries that have reported cases.

President Rodrigo Duterte is hoping to start its own COVID-19 vaccination program by late March 2021.