81% of Filipinos aged 15-64 use text messaging

Eighty one percent of Filipinos between the ages of 15 to 64 use short-message-service or SMS to communicate with one another while the same group agreed that SMS has become an important form of communication to them according to the latest data from Synovate’s Media Atlas study.

Exploring consumer attitudes towards mobile consumption and digital habits, Synovate surveyed 8,028 Filipinos between the ages of 15 to 64 across all income levels living in Greater Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“It is clear that Pinoys have embraced the use of SMS technology in their daily lives indicating that they are constantly on the move and are never far from their mobile phones. But what’s truly interesting about this is that it’s not just the young people, not just the affluent – it’s Pinoys from all walks of life,” according to Carole Sarthou, managing director of Synovate Philippines.

The survey revealed that well over half (60 percent) of respondents owned a mobile phone without Internet access while over a quarter (29 percent) possessed Internet-enabling mobile phones.

The survey showed that Internet usage across the country has gone up with more Filipinos logging on to the Internet this year (33 percent) as compared to last year (12 percent) while nearly all respondents (90 percent) indicated that email was their main activity when in cyberspace.

Other online activities included downloading and uploading (53 percent), using search engines (44 percent), listening to music (42 percent) as well as playing online games (34 percent).

“The Internet is increasingly seen as the best source for staying up-to-date, finding information and providing entertainment and enjoyment. Television still has a major role in the lives of Filipinos when it comes to entertainment but online and mobile phones are the future. This is by no means the ‘death’ of TV. It’s simply that the television has left the lounge room. Pinoys are watching broadcast content outside the home on non-traditional screens like the phone and laptop. It’s media on the move,” she said.

When it comes to owning digital entertainment products, DVD players (71 percent) topped the ownership list followed by VCD (62 percent) and CD (58 percent) players while over a quarter (30 percent) owned Hi-Fi systems.

Pinoys also enjoy taking pictures and capturing videos with over a quarter (29 percent) owning digital cameras while 19 percent possess digital video cameras.

Designed to capture a complete cross section of society, the survey is conducted using a combination of face-to-face and telephone interviews which provide access to 70 percent of Filipino residents with landlines. 

Synovate global media director Steve Garton said Media Atlas was launched in response to the local media industry’s need for more accurate measures of the media consumption and lifestyles of Filipino consumers, while the new results revealed large audiences across most forms of television, print media, radio and the Internet.

 “A key issue is to interview the right cross-section of society. This is why we used a mix of face-to-face and phone interviews. Filipinos in middle and upper class homes almost always have security barriers between their front door and the street, so phone interviews are the best method to reach them at home,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sarthou added that the data reflects various market segments across the country covering different target audiences. She also described Synovate Media Atlas as a study that will continue to provide a wealth of information including deep understanding on lifestyles, attitudes media consumption habits of Filipinos across the socio-economic spectrum.

“These audiences are of great interest to most marketers and media planners who want to choose the right media to communicate with them. Synovate Media Atlas can deliver crucial information to help in these choices. What’s more is that we have recently expanded our coverage and raised our annual sample size to over 8,000 respondents,” she said.