THE popularity of billiards among Filipinos has declined since 2006, probably overshadowed by the boxing fever generated by stars led by Manny Pacquiao.

The February 20-23 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which had 1,200 respondents, showed the popularity of billiards, both as a participant and spectator sport, has been declining.

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The survey has error margins of plus/minus 3 percent for national percentages and plus/minus 6 percent for area percentages.

SWS president Mahar Mangahas is a member of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) board.

The SWS survey showed that those who played billiards any time in the past six months fell from 14 percent of Filipino adults (estimated at 7 million) in September 2006 to 10 percent (estimated 5.8 million) in February 2009.

It also found out that adults who watched billiards always or often fell from 18 percent (about 9.5 million) in September 2006 to 8 percent (4.8 million) in February 2009.

Total potential adult television audience also declined from 56 percent (29 million) in 2006 to 49 percent (28 million) in 2009.

The surveys exclude Filipinos below 18 years old, as well as those overseas, among whom many are billiards fans.

The projected numbers of adults, taking into account population growth, is 50.4 million in 2005, 51.3 million in 2006, and 55.5 million in 2009.

SWS also noted a drop in enthusiasm for playing billiards especially among men, with only 17 percent (4.8 million) playing regularly compared to 26 percent (6.5 million) in September 200.6

On the other hand, the number of women who played billiards regularly rose from 2 percent (estimated 500,000) in 2006 to 4 percent (estimated 1 million) in 2009.

Television followers of billiard games dropped both among men and women, from 30 percent (estimated 7.7 million) in 2006 to only 15 percent (4.1 million) in 2009 among males.

The number of female billiards televisions fans also plummeted from 7 percent (estimated 1.8 million) in 2006 to only 2 percent (estimated 700,000) in 2009. (JMR/Sunnex)