Incessant bickering between the pan-blue and pan-green camps might drive some people crazy, but most voters are actually lukewarm, or even cold, when it comes to political and social participation, a survey published on Friday said.
Only 1 percent of respondents have made calls or submitted opinions about government performance to media outlets over the past year, the National Development Council survey on the level of public participation in politics showed.
Only 5 percent of respondents have taken to the streets to protest over a cause in the past year, despite the student-led Sunflower movement sparking thousands to demonstrate outside the legislature in March and April last year, the survey showed.
A council official said that although the Sunflower movement drew widespread attention, social rallies and demonstrations actually peaked in the years after the Martial Law era ended in 1987.
Despite the prevalence of the Internet, the survey showed that only 7.5 percent of respondents have expressed political opinions about government performance online.
In recent years, the government has held many public hearings to present major policies and various issues, but only 4.8 percent of respondents said they have participated in such meetings over the past year, it said.
Twelve percent said they have donated blood and 45 percent said they have donated to non-profit organizations and bought their products, it added.
Although enthusiasm to take to the streets might have subsided, participation in borough or neighborhood meetings has risen, with 15 percent of respondents saying they have taken part in such meetings over the past year, the survey said.
The survey was conducted on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, polling people aged 20 years or more.
The survey collected 1,077 valid samples.
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