SWS: More Filipinos claim their lives are better now
More Filipinos claimed that the quality of their lives were better compared to a year ago, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The SWS also found increased optimism on the quality of life and the Philippine economy in the next 12 months.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo welcomed the results of the latest SWS survey, saying they “once again emphasize that our people see and appreciate President Duterte’s tireless efforts to improve and bring about genuine and positive change to the nation.”
The Palace assured the public that the Duterte administration will work twice as hard to improve the Filipinos’ quality of life.
About two in five Filipinos, or 38 percent of the 1,440 respondents in the survey, said their lives had improved (gainers) over the past 12 months while 21 percent said their lives worsened (losers), according to the results of the survey conducted from March 28 to 31.
Improved lives
Article continues after this advertisementThe resulting net gainers score (gainers minus losers) of +17 remained “very high” and is up from +12 in December 2018.
Article continues after this advertisementThe increase in nationwide net gainers score was reflected across all areas except in Mindanao where it went down 2 points to +16.
The SWS used face-to-face interviews and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
The survey also showed half of the respondents were optimistic that their personal lives would improve in the next 12 months, against 4 percent who said it would get worse, for a net personal optimists score (optimists minus pessimists) of +47.
This net personal optimists score, still considered “excellent,” increased from +40.
The proportion of those who feel optimistic about the economy also rose, from 43 percent to 45 percent, while the pessimists dipped a point from 11 percent to 10 percent.
This resulted in a net economic optimists score (economic optimists minus economic pessimists) of “excellent” +35, three points higher than December’s +32, also considered excellent in December, and highest since +42 in December 2017.
By area, net gainers score rose from +14 to +21 in Metro Manila, from +13 to +19 in Balance Luzon and from +3 to +12 in Visayas. In Mindanao, it dropped from +18 to +16.
Net gainers scores increased in all socioeconomic classes except among class E. —REPORTS FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH AND JULIE M. AURELIO
