Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Impacts of COVID-19 on Communities in the Philippines Results from the Philippines COVID 19 Community Survey Round 2: April 8 – 14, 2021 Public Disclosure Authorized 1 d Social Monitoring Survey Survey Context Round 1 (R1) Round 2 (R2) 200 respondents (180 of which are Sample Size 180 respondents repeaters from R1) 101 barangays 136 barangays Coverage across 29 provinces across 40 provinces Dates 28 Aug – 01 Sep 2020 8 - 14 Apr 2021 1 barangay in General Community Quarantine Quarantine, the rest in Modified All barangays in Modified General Classification General Community Quarantine Community Quarantine (MGCQ) (MGCQ) 2 Survey Parameters Respondents were community representatives and acted as key informants Survey results represent key informants’ general observations and perceptions Sample drawn from barangays within NCDDP rural municipalities Gives insights into COVID-19 impacts in poor rural barangays, not representative for entire country Complements the Philippines COVID-19 Firm and Households Surveys 3 HIGHLIGHTS 4 How COVID-19 Affected Communities COVID-19 Information • Communities were markedly concerned about vaccine safety and effectiveness and looked to doctors and health practitioners for information about vaccination plans • Though they knew vaccine could prevent COVID, communities were aware that health protocols were still needed • Because of health reasons, getting vaccinated would likely be difficult for seniors, persons with comorbidities, and children Social Safety Nets • There is a slight drop in the share of people who received assistance, with the city government as the top source of assistance • Communities preferred food, cash and livelihood assistance • The negative effects of natural calamities on livelihood made the COVID-19 situation worse 5 How COVID-19 Affected Communities Economic Impact • Lack of income was the main problem for most people, with many of them citing loss of or limited employment opportunities • Construction workers and public transport drivers were worst hit by job cuts, and job losses were experienced equally by both men and women • The economic situation of IP barangays stayed the same Government Services • Local governments could do better in implementing health protocols • Generally, there was no increase in the number of health workers and non-COVID patients 6 How COVID-19 Affected Communities Social Cohesion • There was an increase in COVID-related problems in peace and order, with the cause shifting from lack of medical supplies in R1 to loss of employment in R2 • Cases of COVID-related discrimination similarly increased • Cases of sexual harassment, rape, and domestic violence did not increase Education • Distance learning was not effective due to lack of or limited access to learning gadgets and learning losses among children • Paper-based modules were the preferred learning modality • People believed that in-person classes should resume when the national government says so and when vaccines become available for most people 7 BARANGAY PROFILES 8 Sample Size • R1: 180 respondents Geographical Distribution (R1, R2) across 9 regions Luzon - 25%, Visayas - 64%, Mindanao - 11% 25% Luzon 30% • R2: 200 respondents across 13 regions Luzon - 30%, Visayas - 50%, Mindanao - 20% 64% Visayas 50% 11% Mindanao 20% Round 1 Round 2 9 GIDA and IP Respondents • GIDAs’ (geographically isolated and Respondents from GIDAs and IPs (R1, R2) disadvantaged areas) share of survey respondents declined from 47% (R1) 47% R1 GIDA to 37% (R2) 47% • IPs’ (indigenous peoples) share of 37% R2 GIDA respondents declined from 24% (R1) 47% to 10% (R2 24% R1 IP 34% 10% R2 IP 34% Survey Sample of NCDDP Barangays All NCDDP barangays 10 Most respondents owned a business… Classification of Respondents Based on Work Performed (R1, R2) Employer in own family-operated farm or 52% business 38% 20% Self-employed without any paid employee 33% 28% Wage and Salary 30% Round 1 Round 2 11 …And most wage earners worked in private establishments Classification of Wage and Salary Workers Based on Employer (R1, R2) Family-operated Farm or Business 10% 6% Government 4% 6% Private Establishments 9% 16% Private Households 5% 2% Round 1 Round 2 12 INFORMATION ON COVID-19 VACCINES 13 Of the various sources of COVID information… Sources of COVID-19 Information 78% 77% 56% 39% 14% 11% 8% Health Media Government Social Media Community Word of Others practitioners materials leaders mouth 14 …Doctors and health practitioners were expected to provide vaccine-related information Top Sources that Should Provide Information on COVID-19 Vaccine and Roll-out Plan 89% 54% 39% 32% 17% 15% 10% 10% Health Local Media National Community NGOs and Social Media Others practitioners government government leaders International materials materials Orgs 15 For most people, information about vaccine effectiveness and safety were most useful … Type of COVID-19 Information and its Usefulness 59% 59% Delivery Mechanism – 5% Priority Groups – 5% Potential Cost of Vaccine – 5% 25% Frequency of Shots/Doses – 4% 22% Mixed others – 7% 13% 8% Vaccine Vaccine Side Effects Vaccine Availability/ Others Effectiveness Safety and Process Options Timing of the of Reporting Roll out 16 …And much of people’s concerns were linked to vaccine safety and effectiveness Concerns About Vaccination 86% 60% 10% 7% 5% Vaccine Safety Vaccine Vaccine Access Vaccine Others Effectiveness Potential Cost 17 Though they believed vaccine could prevent COVID, people knew that health protocols were still needed Knowledge that COVID-19 can Awareness that even with vaccine, be prevented with a vaccine the community should still practice social distancing, wear face mask, Yes - 83% and hand wash No - 18% Yes - 100% 18 Of the groups that should be vaccinated first… Priority Groups for the Vaccine Health workers 81% Senior citizens 72% Government officials 45% Young working adults 17% Children/Students 15% Public transport workers – 7% Patients with chronic/long-term diseases 13% Travelers – 3% Millitary and police 11% Pregnant – 2% Janitors – 2% Teachers 9% Mixed Others – 8% Poor 9% Others 21% 19 …Seniors, persons with comorbidities, and children were likely to have difficulty getting the vaccine… Groups that Might Have Difficulty Accessing the Vaccine Senior citizens 78% Patients with long-term/chronic diseases 44% Children/Students 39% Poor 27% Young working adults 16% Government officials – 4% Health workers & medical professionals 13% Teachers – 3% Travelers – 2% Pregnant women 11% None of the above – 2% PWDs 9% Mixed others – 24% Public transport workers 6% Others 36% 20 …Health was the main reason that access could be difficult for these people Factors that Could Make Access to the Vaccines Difficult 69% 22% 18% 16% 15% 13% 4% Health reasons Transport to Cost of Vaccine Cost related to Won’t be Isolation/remote Others health facilities transport, etc prioritized by areas government 21 SOCIAL SAFETY NETS 22 Lack of income was a major problem for most people… Most Pressing Problems in the Community (R1, R2) 98% 78% 30%33% 23% 20%20% 19% 12%14% 11% 11% 3% Lack of income Insufficient Lack of access Lack of access Poverty Lack of health Government's opportunities food supply to financial to markets, facilities for response to the and reduction services food and COVID-19 cases crisis* of pay essentials R1 R2 *New Category in Round 2 23 …And loss or limited employment opportunities was the most common grievance Common Causes of Grievances and Complaints (R1, R2) 82% Share of people who 58% observed COVID-19 related grievances and complaints R1 - 83% 28% 22% 21% 20% 20% 14% 23% 13% 13% R2 - 64% Employment- Lack of Lack of Access Lack of financial Poverty* Compulsory Government’s Loss and limited sufficient to Markets, access* quarantine response to the opportunity food/water Food, Water policy and crisis and Essentials* lockdown implementation R1 R2 *New Category in Round 2 24 There is a slight drop in the share of people who received assistance, and the city government continued to be the top source of assistance Sources of Assistance (R1, R2) 84% 75% 77% Share of People Who 68% Received Assistance 62% 56% 52% 54% R1 - 99% 38% R2 - 96% 23% City/Municipal Barangay National Provincial Private organizations R1 R2 25 People preferred food, cash and livelihood assistance Preferred Type of Assistance for the Community 59% 50% 50% 30% 18% 10% Food Cash Transfer Livelihoods Non-food items Health services Assistance for assistance assistance Community COVID-19 preparedness 26 Among vulnerable groups—seniors, people affected by natural disasters, and IPs needed more assistance Groups that Need More Assistance in Coping with COVID-19 (R1, R2) 59% 46% 36% 33% 27% 21% 19% 19% 21% 17% 14% 17% 15% 14% 15% 11% 10% 10% 4% Senior citizens Victims of Indigenous Pregnant 4Ps Farmers and Women Sectors Children Fishermen disasters and People women* beneficiaries landless rural prohibited calamities workers from operating R1 R2 *New Category in Round 2 27 Natural calamities aggravated the COVID-19 situation… Affected by Natural Calamity since September 2020 Natural Calamity Aggravated COVID-19 Situation No, 35% No, 26% Yes, 65% Yes, 74% 28 …Because of the negative effects of calamities on people’s livelihood Factors that Aggravated the COVID Situation 55% 33% 22% 13% 11% Negative Effects Mobility Social Distancing Health Care PPEs Limitations on Livelihood Constraints Constraint Limitations 29 SOCIAL COHESION 30 Communities experienced more peace and order problems related to COVID-19 Peace and Order Problems Related to COVID-19 Round 26% 74% 1 Round 78% 22% 2 Yes No 31 The main cause of peace and order problems shifted from lack of medical supplies to loss of employment Causes of Peace and Order Problems (R1, R2) Loss of employment 9% 26% Lack of sufficient food/water 15% 21% Compulsory quarantine policy and lockdown implementation 17% 19% Conflicting information on and interpretation of government/police 23% rules/guidelines 19% Lack of access to information 4% 16% Government’s response to the crisis (ex. provision of assistance, etc.) 13% 16% Lack of medical supplies in medical facilities (e.g., RHUs, Hospitals) 47% 11% Fake news, misinformation 9% 4% Schools/ universities shutdown 2% 2% Round 1 Round 2 32 Discrimination related to COVID increased, with COVID patients as the most discriminated group Discriminated Groups (R1, R2) COVID-19 Patients (confirmed, probable, and suspect) 60% 41% Increase in Cases of COVID- Locally stranded individuals 25% Related Discrimination Health and social welfare workers (ex: Nurse, Doctor, BHW, social 11% worker) 15% 24% R1 - 25% Everyone Migrants, Internally displaced, refugees 13% 13% R2 - 30% Senior Citizens 7% 13% All women 5% Poor groups 5% Persons with Disabilities 2% 3% Indigenous people 2% 2% Round 1 Round 2 33 Cases of sexual harassment, rape, and domestic violence did not increase during the pandemic Increase in cases 6% 94% Yes No 34 EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC IMPACT 35 Public transport drivers and construction workers were worst hit by job cuts Incidence of Severe Job Losses Informal services 29% 34% Formal services 30% 34% 16% Service Formal retail 29% Public transport drivers 45% 52% Informal retail 24% 24% Financial institutions 7%9% Construction work 48% 56% Industry Informal manufacturing 16% 24% Formal manufacturing 24% 24% Agriculture Agricult Farming 16%19% ure Formal agriculture 24% 26% Round 1 Round 2 36 Women and men were equally affected by job losses Agreement Rating: Women in your community are affected by job losses more than men The same/both are equally affected 51% Agree 29% Strongly agree 9% Disagree 8% Strongly disagree 5% 37 The economic situation of barangays with IP communities stayed the same while it worsened in barangays without IPs Economic Situation by IP and Non-IP Barangays 68% 60% 32% 34% 5% 0 Improved Stayed the same Worsened Non-IP Brgy IP Brgy 38 Mobility restrictions affected population size Population Changes due to Migration/Movement of People Cannot migrate to other place/ country 67% No changes 44% Entry restrictions in the barangay 33% Domestic work migrants have returned to their workstation in other areas of the Philippines 25% Domestic work migrants have returned to the community 21% OFW have returned to the community 15% OFW have returned to their workstation abroad 5% 39 GOVERNMENT SERVICES 40 Local governments could do better in implementing health and travel protocols Areas of LGU Response that the Community Found Appropriate and Could be Strengthened Protocols (e.g. social distance etc) 64% 75% Restrictions on travel and mobility 23% 34% Health facilities and health services 19% 15% Assistance for households (e.g. cash grants) 19% 11% Assistance for communities (e.g. cash for work schemes, health facilities) 18% 11% Social services 13% 9% Communication and information 15% 8% COVID-19 testing and tracking 10% 7% Appropriate and well-executed Could be strengthened 41 The number of health workers and non-COVID patients remained the same Change in Number of Barangay Health Workers Change in Volume of Non-COVID Patients in the (BHWs) during the COVID-19 Pandemic Health Center 6% 20% Fewer 37% Fewer patients More More patients No Change 59% No change 75% 5% Why more? Why fewer? • 74% - The community hired more BHWs because there was a • 29% - People were afraid to go out in general higher volume of barangay patients. • 9% - People were afraid of going to the health center • 26% - The community hired more BHWs because more people needed jobs Why fewer? • 55% - Fewer BHWs were willing to work because of COVID-19 • 45% - There were fewer patients who had to be attended to 42 EDUCATION 43 Distance learning was not considered effective Perception of Effectiveness of Current Distance Learning Compared to Face-to-Face Schooling 20-50 percent effective 30% Less than 20 percent effective 29% 50-80 percent effective 28% 80-100 percent effective 14% 44 Lack or limited access to learning gadgets and learning losses made distance learning difficult for most children Concerns About Distance Learning No/ Limited access to gadgets/devices for learning (i.e., PC/Laptop/Tablet) 45% Learning losses 42% No/ Limited learning guidance from household members 36% No/ Limited access to internet 34% Psychological stresses 21% No/ Limited physical communications with friends 17% Access to learning materials 14% No school lunch 7% 45 Paper-based modules were considered the most effective distance learning modality Proven Effective Modalities for Distance Learning Paper-based modules 92% Online 23% "Gabay Aral Modality" (where a teacher does face to face or one on one sessions with a child of assigned households) 9% TV 4% Radio 4% SMS 0.5% 46 In-person classes should resume when the national government says so and vaccines are available to most people When Should Schools Transition to Face-to-Face Learning? When the central government decides to reopen all schools in the country. 47% When vaccines are available for the majority of people in your community. 32% When the next school year starts. 8% As soon as possible with appropriate health measures even though there are some COVID cases 8% As soon as possible because COVID cases are very limited locally/in our community 6% 47 Next Steps Results of community, household and firm surveys to be published and shared widely The three survey results are complementary, with the community survey complementing the household survey results in particular Third round of community survey to be prepared – the timing TBD 48 THANK YOU! worldbank.org/philippines/covidmonitor 49