SWS: 33% of Filipinos say quality of life improved, same say it worsened

The Social Weather Survey (SWS) conducted from June 20 to 29, 2026, found that 33% of adult Filipinos said their quality of life had worsened over the past 12 months, classified by SWS as "losers." Another 34% said their quality of life remained unchanged, while 33% said it had improved, classified as "gainers." This resulted in a net gainers score of zero, calculated by subtracting the percentage of losers from the percentage of gainers. SWS classified the score as "fair" (0 to -9). The June 2026 score was 26 points higher than the "low" -26 recorded in March 2026, reversing three consecutive quarterly declines. The net gainers score fell from a "very high" +12 in June 2025 to "fair" -2 in September 2025 and "fair" -7 in November 2025, before dropping further to "low" -26 in March 2026. The June 2026 net gainers score of zero was also 8 points higher than the 2025 annual score of "fair" -8 and was close to the "fair" -2 recorded in September 2025. The Second Quarter 2026 Social Weather Survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), the Visayas, and Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The survey was non-commissioned. The June 2026 survey found the net gainers registered lowest in Metro Manila at mediocre -13, followed by the Visayas at fair -1, Mindanao at high +3, and Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at high +4. "The 26-point rise in the nationwide net gainers score from March to June 2026 was due to increases in all areas," SWS said. Compared to March 2026, net gainers rose from very low to fair in urban areas, up by 27 points from -32 to -5. It rose from mediocre to high in rural areas, up by 23 points from -18 to +5, SWS also said. —LDF, GMA News