SWS poll says 44% of Filipinos see better lives

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos expecting the quality of their lives to improve in the next 12 months has dropped to 44%, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in December. 

This figure is down from 48% in the survey conducted in September 2023. 

The December 8 to 11 poll also found that 44% of Filipinos said the quality of lives would stay the same, and 5% said it would worsen. The remaining 7% did not provide an answer. 

This resulted in a net personal optimism score of +39, which the polling firm classifies as “excellent.” The score was slightly down from the “excellent” +42 in September.

SWS attributed the three-point decline in the national net personal optimism to “a decrease in Balance Luzon and a slight decline in the Visayas, combined with a steady score in Mindanao and an increase in Metro Manila. 

Net personal optimism remained “excellent” in Luzon areas outside Metro Manila, although down by 10 points to +40. 

It dropped to “high” +27 from “very high” +30 in Visayas, and stayed at “excellent” +43 in Mindanao. Net personal optimism rose to “excellent” +47 from “very high” +30 in the capital region. 

The survey also showed that net personal optimism was “excellent” among junior and senior high school graduates or those who attended college. 

It, however, fell to “very high” from “excellent” among those who either graduated from college or took postgraduate studies. Personal optimism was also “very high” among elementary graduates. 

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults, with a margin of error of ±2.8% for national percentages and ±5.7% for regional breakdowns.