69% of Filipinos back aid program

In a statement on Sunday, OCTA said the survey conducted Jan. 25 to 31 found that support for AKAP "is consistent across all socioeconomic classes (69 percent), suggesting that AKAP addresses universal concerns that cut across income levels."

It also said 79 percent of the respondents reported being aware of the program.

It found that the level of awareness was highest in the Visayas at 88 percent, followed by Mindanao (85 percent) and the National Capital Region (81 percent).

"This suggests that regional communication strategies may have played a role in the program's visibility," OCTA said.

Awareness remained strong across socioeconomic classes which indicated "that the program has reached diverse income groups."

Ninety percent of those in Classes A, B, and C had heard, read, or watched anything about AKAP. The awareness level was at 78 percent for Class D and 84 percent for Class E.

Respondents who agreed to the continuation and expansion of AKAP are higher in urban areas (72 percent) than in rural areas (66 percent).

It is also higher among females (72 percent) than males (67 percent).

The number of those who supported AKAP was highest among those without formal education or elementary education and among those with vocational education, both at 74 percent.

Across major geographical areas, support levels vary, ranging from 63 percent to 74 percent. The highest level of agreement is in Balance Luzon (74 percent), and the lowest in the Visayas (63 percent).

The regional differences "may indicate variations in program implementation, accessibility, or differing socioeconomic needs that should be further explored," OCTA said.

Respondents from the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) "100 percent agreed to continue expanding the AKAP program, while a majority in other regions expressed agreement except in three regions: Cagayan Valley (16 percent), Caraga (42 percent), and Northern Mindanao (49 percent)."

The survey, which had 1,200 respondents, had a margin of error of ±3 percent and a confidence level of 95 percent.