MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos are divided on the proposed burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, a non-commissioned survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed yesterday.
The First Quarter of 2011 Social Weather Survey, conducted from March 4 to 7, found 50 percent of Filipinos favored the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani while 49 percent said otherwise.
To the survey question, “In your opinion, is the body of ex-Pres. Marcos worthy to be buried in the Heroes Cemetery or not?” 50 percent answered “Worthy to be buried in the Heroes Cemetery,” 49 percent answered “Not worthy to be buried in the Heroes Cemetery,” and one percent had no answer.
SWS also asked respondents who favored Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani the question, “Do you think he deserves a burial with official honors or a private burial only?” to which 30 percent said he should be “buried with official honors,” and 20 percent said “private burial only.”
The survey found majorities of respondents, or 58 percent in Metro Manila and 54 percent in balance Luzon, supporting Marcos’ burial at the Libingan.
However, majorities of respondents, 59 percent in Mindanao and 54 percent in the Visayas, oppose it.
SWS said opinions on Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani are split across classes: 53 percent in class ABC support and 46 percent oppose it; among respondents in class D or “masa,” 50 percent support and 49 percent oppose it; among those in class E, 51 percent support and 49 percent oppose.
Those who favor a Libingan burial with official honors for Marcos are 34 percent in balance Luzon, 32 percent in Metro Manila, 26 percent in the Visayas, and 24 percent in Mindanao.
Those who prefer having only a private Libingan burial for the former president are 26 percent in Metro Manila, 20 percent in balance Luzon, 20 percent in the Visayas, and 16 percent in Mindanao.
By class, preference for a Libingan burial with official honors is 31 percent in class D, 29 percent in class ABC, and 29 percent in class E.
On the other hand, preference for a private Libingan burial is 24 percent in class ABC, 22 percent in class E, and 19 percent in class D.
The SWS survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points for area percentages.
Over 200 lawmakers, including those from the opposition, have signed a resolution urging President Aquino to allow the burial of the remains of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
