46% of Filipinos hopeful for better lives in the next year — SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Forty-six percent of Filipinos expressed optimism that their lives will improve over the next 12 months, a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations showed.

The survey, conducted between June 28 and July 1, revealed that 44% of Filipinos believed the quality of their lives will remain unchanged, while 5% anticipated a decline. Five percent of the 1,500 Filipino respondents did not provide a response. 

The net personal optimism score stood at +41, which was deemed “excellent” by the polling firm. 

A separate survey released by SWS last week found that only 33% of Filipino adults reported improvements in their lives over the past 12 months, while 22% said their lives worsened.

According to the pollster, the three-point rise in the net personal optimism score was due to increases in Visayas and Balance Luzon, or areas outside Metro Manila, combined with a steady score in the capital region and a decline in Mindanao. 

Net personal optimism score rose to “very high” 39 from “high” +27 in Visayas and to “excellent” +44 from “very high” +37 from Balance Luzon. It remained at an “excellent” level in Metro Manila, albeit with a four-point decline to +41. 

Meanwhile, the net personal optimism score fell to “very high” +36 from “excellent” +47 in Mindanao. 

The survey also revealed that net personal optimism was categorized as “excellent” for individuals with college or postgraduate degrees as well as those who completed junior high school, had some vocational schooling, had attended senior high school, finished senior high school, completed vocational school, or attended college. 

For those who either finished elementary or had some high school education, optimism was rated “very high.” It was classified as “high” for those with either no formal education or limited elementary education. 

The survey also highlighted that net personal optimism was rated “excellent” among adults who belong to families who did not experience hunger in the past three months and “very high” among those who belong to families who experienced moderate hunger. It was only categorized as “fair” among those who experienced severe hunger. 

The survey was conducted through