MANILA: This week, on Wednesday (Feb 25), the Philippines will mark the 40th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution that ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr in 1986. Survey results suggest, however, that beyond freedom, Filipinos now expect more from the protest that restored democracy.
Drawing on results from Wave 6 (2022) of the Asian Barometer Survey, Alicor Panao, an Inquirer data scientist and associate professor at the University of the Philippines, said public priorities appear to have shifted over time.
Based on the survey, 67 per cent of Filipinos said reducing economic inequality should be prioritised, while 28 per cent preferred protecting political freedom when asked to choose between the two.
About two per cent said both are important.
“These are not fresh numbers, but they offer a timely lens to reflect on democratic priorities four decades after Edsa,” Panao said, referring to the People Power Revolution that ended more than two decades of Marcos’ rule.
“This recalibration of priority is not a rejection of liberty,” he said. “Rather, it suggests that political rights, once the central rallying cry, are now seen as baseline guarantees.”
Based on the latest data from Pulse Asia, controlling the increase in prices of basic commodities is the top concern for most Filipinos, especially those in socioeconomic classes D and E in Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Across South-East and East Asia, the trend is similar, with respondents often emphasising material conditions over political freedom, such as in Indonesia, which showed an even stronger tilt toward reducing economic inequality at 88 per cent.
Mongolia recorded 68 per cent, followed by the Philippines. South Korea, Taiwan, Cambodia, and Thailand recorded 64 perccent, 63 per cent, 58 per cent, and 56 per cent, respectively, saying economic concerns should be prioritised.
Vietnam was the exception, where nearly 50 per cent of respondents appeared to prioritise political freedom.
Slightly more people in South Korea, Cambodia, and Thailand — from 12 per cent to 14 per cent — indicated that both economic equality and political freedom are important.
Taiwan and the Philippines had very low rates, with only one per cent and 1.9 per cent of respondents saying both were equally important, “suggesting that most respondents make a clear choice,” Panao said.
Based on the latest data from the Social Weather Stations, just over 50 per cent of Filipino households consider themselves poor, while 37 percent said they are not poor. Another 12 per cent said they are “borderline poor.”
“Four decades after EDSA, perhaps the more salient questions are: Who benefits from all of it? Who remains at the bottom? Has freedom widened access to economic opportunities?” Panao said.
Across Asia, many people prefer economic security over political freedom, including in the Philippines, where 59 per cent of respondents in Wave 6 of the Asian Barometer Survey said “economic development is definitely more important than democracy,” Panao said.
When those who prefer development “at least somewhat” are included, the total reaches 82 per cent, suggesting that “the public sees governance first and foremost as a tool to reduce poverty and usher in a higher quality of life,” he said.
This focus on the economy is even stronger in Indonesia, where 65 per cent definitely chose development over democracy, Panao said.
Conversely, South Korea and Taiwan showed more support for freedom at 18.8 per cent and 29.6 per cent, respectively.
Even so, Panao said the results were unexpected, noting that these countries are often regarded as models of democratic consolidation in the region.
The findings imply that performance legitimacy — including the ability of a government to provide work and reduce poverty — is the main way people assess regimes, he said, suggesting that support for democracy is not permanent.
“If the economy struggles, people may become open to other forms of leadership,” Panao said.
Across the region, democracy is rarely seen as a goal on its own, he said.
“Instead, it is viewed as a partner to prosperity that people may set aside if they feel they must choose between a vote and a job.” - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
