Filipinos' internet use declined slightly to 41% in September: SWS survey
Internet use by Filipinos has soared to double-digits since a 2006 survey by Social Weather Stations showing usage at single digits.
But on Tuesday, an SWS poll conducted from September 15 to 23. showed 41 percent of Filipinos are internet users compared to a June survey showing usage at 40 percent. Usage hit a high of 42 percent in March.
Leo Laroza of SWS said in a phone interview the "difference is not significant because of the margin of error of plus-minus three percent."
"The proportion of Filipino adults using the Internet has been steadily increasing since SWS first asked about it in June 2006, when it was at eight percent. It initially ranged from 11 percent to 19 percent from September 2007 to December 2011, then from 23 percent to 32 percent from March 2012 to December 2015," it said.
SWS said the proportion of internet users was consistently at 34 percent or above and reached its peak at 42 percent in March.
The survey revealed Metro Manila residents use the internet often, reaching 64 percent, up by four percentage points last June.
The Balance of Luzon set a new record of 47 percent from 42 percent last June. However, usage in Visayas fell by nine percentage points at 28 percent from a high of 37 percent . Internet users in Mindanao decreased by two percentage points to 27 percent.
SWS added users from urban areas has always been higher at 54 percent compared to 31 percent in rural areas.
The survey also revealed more women use the internet at 42 percent compared to men at 40 percent.
Internet use by persons aged 18-24 years old was at 81 percent, down by one percentage point last June. Usage by persons aged 25-34 years old reached 65 percent, 35-44 year old at 44 percent, 45-54 year old at 27 percent and those 55 years old and above at 12 percent.
College graduates were the most internet users at 73 percent followed by high school students at 56 percent, elementary graduates at 26 percent and non-elementary school graduates at nine percent.
The latest SWS survey was conducted using face-to-face interview of 1,500 adults nationwide. Ella Dionisio/DMS
