by Earl Jed Roque/PNA
MANILA — Majority of Filipinos believe there are now fewer drug users in their area, according to a recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The latest survey, conducted in December 2018, showed that 66 percent of Filipinos claimed that the number of drug addicts in their area has decreased over the past year.
Mindanao, at 83 percent, has the highest percentage of people who answered there are less drug addicts in their area compared to last year, followed by the Visayas at 71 percent, Metro Manila at 67 percent, and Balance Luzon at 54 percent.
A total of 68 percent of respondents in rural areas believe the number of illegal drug addicts decreased while 63 percent say the same in urban areas.
The survey also found that 87 percent of Filipinos believe it is important for the police to capture illegal drug suspects alive.
The survey was conducted from December 16 to 19 last year, with 1,440 respondents and a margin of error of ±2.6 percent.
Combatting illegal drugs is one of the major campaign promises of President Rodrigo R. Duterte when he ran for office in 2016.
