Mobile phones join Pinoys’ “essential list”

Like television or refrigerator, which is considered a must in most Filipino homes, mobile phones are now regarded as an essential gadget in every Filipino family.

A survey conducted by the CLSA Asia Pacific Markets dubbed “Mr. & Mrs. Philippines,” revealed that apart from topping the list of biggest single-item purchases, mobile phones are considered an essential gadget for families now.

CLSA Philippines surveyed 1,000 households in five locations covering the major islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as the capital city and surrounding areas.

The survey found out that in every family, there are at least two mobile phones, and Nokia brand is the “phone of choice” among Filipino families, followed by Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Siemens, and Panasonic.

The average household of the 88 million Filipinos has five members and spends most on groceries and utilities, this include already growing expenditure on cellular phone loads or bills.

Family leisure time is important and visiting malls is a way of life for average Filipino family.

According to the survey, this is good news for shopping mall players like SM Prime, Ayala Land and Robinson’s Land, as well as fast-food names like Jollibee.

More than 60 percent of families spend about 30 percent of their income on food and groceries. On average, they dine out three times a month.

About 10 percent to 20 percent of the total income goes to utility expenditures, such as mobile phone bills, or load requirements.

In terms of gadget or appliance purchases, Filipinos spent more on mobile phone purchases in the last few months.

Of the 1,000 respondents included in the survey, about 102 or the highest number of respondents revealed that they spent part of their income in buying new mobile phone in the last 12 months.

Leisure activities are an important part of the Filipino lifestyle and new malls have shaped the way families have fun, the survey revealed.

Activities such as watching movies, dining and even some sports are all available in the malls. Nearly 90 percent of families dine out almost every week.

Most apparel and accessories are bought in the mall, whether in boutiques or department stores.

Meanwhile, the survey further indicated that 77 percent of respondents expect to be better off in the next five years, while 27 percent of them have seen income growth in the past 12 months

On the other hand, half of those surveyed intend to take a holiday in places such as Baguio, Pangasinan, and Cebu.

Improved accessibility and the government’s “holiday economics” policy have paved the way for increased local and tourism and travel. —Ehda M. Dagooc