SWS: 57% Pinoys consider Christmas more important than Easter

Nearly three of five Filipinos or 57 percent consider Christmas a more important day than Easter Sunday, according to a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations. The SWS said its survey, conducted March 4 to 7 but whose results were released only Wednesday, showed Christmas is preferred over Easter Sunday in all areas. The question: 'Sa inyong palagay, alin po sa dalawang ito ang mas importanteng araw para sa inyo, Christmas o Easter Sunday?' Of the 1,200 adult respondents, "57 percent chose Christmas, 36 percent chose Easter Sunday, 4 percent did not choose any, and 2 percent had no answer," the SWS said. Easter marks the Resurrection of Christ, which is considered the center of the Christian faith; while Christmas marks the birth of Christ. While Easter is a movable feast, Christmas is celebrated only on December 25. Also, the survey found majorities as 65 percent in the Visayas, 60 percent in Mindanao, 55 percent in Balance Luzon (Luzon minus Metro Manila), and 52 percent in Metro Manila. The SWS said its survey showed preference for Christmas over Easter Sunday also tends to be higher among the lower classes. "It is 61 percent in class E and 57 percent in class D or the masa, compared to 51 percent in classes ABC," it said. By age group, majorities of 67 percent among 18-24; 64 percent among 25-34; 57 percent among 45-54; and 51 percent among 35-44 chose Christmas over Easter Sunday. However, opinion is split among 55 years old and above where 50 percent chose Christmas and 46 percent chose Easter Sunday, the SWS said. Also, the survey showed majorities of 58 percent among women and 57 percent among men chose Christmas as a more important day than Easter Sunday. Opinions by religion The March 2011 survey sample had 94 percent Christians and five percent non-Christians. SWS said that of the Christians, 82 percent were Roman Catholic, 3 percent Iglesia ni Cristo, 1 percent Protestant, 0.4 percent Aglipayan, and 8 percent other Christian denominations. The five percent who were non-Christians included 5 percent Islam and 0.4 percent other non-Christian religions. "Among Christian religions, majorities of 61 percent among Roman Catholics, 61 percent among Aglipayans, and 57 percent among other Christians chose Christmas as a more important day than Easter Sunday," the SWS said. But it said opinion is mixed among Iglesia ni Cristo members where 37 percent chose Easter Sunday, 34 percent chose neither of the two, and 24 percent chose Christmas. A majority 60 percent of Muslims did not choose any of the two, 19 percent chose Christmas, and 5 percent chose Easter Sunday. Among other non-Christians, a majority 79 percent chose Christmas and the remaining 21 percent chose Easter Sunday. The March 2011 Social Weather Survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% for area percentages applied to the survey. — LBG, GMA News