Filipinos likely to say there are opportunities to improve living standards in country — poll

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos are likely to say that most people in the Philippines have the opportunity to advance their standard of living, according to a new global poll of Pew Research Center.  

The survey released Tuesday (Manila time) showed 86% of Filipinos saying there is a good chance to improve their own standard of living. Only 13% saw few opportunities to improve their standard of living.

Filipinos with ages 18 to 29 (90%) are more likely than those with ages 30 to 49 (87%) and ages 50 and older (79%) to say people can improve their standard of living.

Pew stressed a median of 57% across the 27 countries surveyed agree that most people have a good chance to improve their own standard of living, adding this sentiment is slightly more widespread in the nine emerging economies surveyed than in the 18 advanced economies.

“Filipinos, South Africans and Nigerians are especially likely to describe their countries as ones in which people can improve their economic situation; about four-in-ten or more in each country says this describes their country very well,” the Washington D.C.-based think tank said. 

But in Italy, Spain and Greece, only about one-quarter of people say their country is one in which it is possible to improve their standard of living.

READ: 69% of Filipinos satisfied with democracy — Pew poll

About 3 in 10 Pinoys say it's dangerous to walk at night

The same study showed that 62% of Filipinos said the statement “most people live in areas where it is dangerous to walk around at night” does not describe the Philippines well.

The remaining 36% said it is dangerous to walk around at night.

Pew noted that most of the respondents said their countries are generally not dangerous for walking around at night.

“A median of 35% believe most people live in areas where it’s dangerous to walk around at night. But opinion diverges somewhat across advanced and emerging economies. In advanced economies, a median of only 30% say most people live in areas where it is dangerous to walk around at night, compared with a median of 45% across the nine emerging economies surveyed,” it said.

In the Philippines, 1,181 adult respondents were surveyed from May 28 to July 7, 2018. The poll has a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.