MANILA, Philippines--Noche buena, caroling, fireworks, gifts and simbang gabi trumped salubong and egg hunt. Nearly 6 out of every 10 adult Filipinos consider Christmas a more important day than Easter Sunday, according to a survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The survey, conducted from March 4 to 7 and released Wednesday, found that 57 percent of the 1,200 respondents chose Christmas as the more important day.
Thirty-six percent chose Easter, 4 percent chose neither, and 2 percent had no answer.
The survey also found that 65 percent in the Visayas, 60 percent in Mindanao, 55 percent in the rest of Luzon and 52 percent in Metro Manila chose Christmas as a more important day than Easter.
Preference for Christmas over Easter Sunday was also higher among the lower classes: It is 61 percent in the poorest Class E and 57 percent in Class D or the masa, compared with 51 percent in classes ABC.
By age group, 67 percent among those aged 18 to 24, 64 percent among 25 to 34, 57 percent among 45 to 54, and 51 percent among 35 to 44 chose Christmas over Easter Sunday.
Opinion was split among 55 years old and above—50 percent chose Christmas and 46 percent chose Easter Sunday.
By gender, 58 percent among women and 57 percent among men chose Christmas as a more important day than Easter.
Of the respondents, 94 percent were Christians (82 percent Roman Catholic, 3 percent Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), 1 percent Protestant, 0.4 percent Aglipayan, and 8 percent other groups, and 5 percent were non-Christians (5 percent Islam and 0.4 percent other non-Christian groups).
Among the Christians, 61 percent of Catholics, 61 percent among Aglipayans and 57 percent of other Christian groups chose Christmas over Easter.
Opinion was mixed among INC members. Thirty-seven percent chose Easter, 34 percent chose neither of the two, and 24 percent chose Christmas.
Sixty percent of Muslims did not make a choice, 19 percent chose Christmas, and 5 percent preferred Easter.
Among other non-Christians, 79 percent chose Christmas and the remaining 21 percent chose Easter Sunday.
The survey was noncommissioned and had an error margin of plus-or-minus three percentage points.
