More Filipinos Expect Better Life in Next 12 Months, SWS Survey Reveals

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos expect the quality of their lives to improve in the next 12 months, according to a recent survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS). The poll, conducted from June 20 to 29, found that 48 percent of the respondents expected their lives to improve in a year, up by 10 points from the 38 percent obtained in a similar survey in March, the lowest under the Marcos Jr. administration. Only eight percent expected their lives to worsen in the next 12 months, down from 16 percent in the previous survey. Thirty-one percent said they expected the quality of their lives to stay the same, almost hardly moving from 32 percent in the previous poll. The remaining 12 percent did not give an answer. The latest survey resulted in a “net personal optimism” score of +40, up from +23 in March. The latest survey showed that net personal optimism improved across all areas. It was highest among those in balance Luzon at +49 (from +22), followed by those in Metro Manila at +36 (from +28), Visayas at +33 (from +27) and Mindanao at +31 (from +20). It also improved across other indicators, including age groups and education attainment.